The Indian Panorama

Tag: Obituary

  • Ambassador Harsh K. Bhasin dies at 79

    Ambassador Harsh K. Bhasin dies at 79

    • Visitation and prayers will be held from 11am-1pm on Tuesday March 28 at Moloney’s Lake Funeral Home (132 Ronkonkoma Ave., Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779)

    Harsh K. Bhasin, known variously to those who loved and admired him as Harshji, Mr. Ambassador, Professor, Nana, Dadaji, and Pa, died peacefully in New York City on March 24, 2023. Harsh dedicated his life to applying his knowledge, curiosity and pursuit of excellence to the service of others.
    Born on August 15th, 1944, his birth foretold a lifetime of service to his native India that would be independent 3 years later on that very day. In 1969, he began a 35-year career in the Indian Foreign Service in capitals around the world from Beijing and Hong Kong to Washington, Delhi and Pretoria.
    Always a bastion of honor, hard work and a kind word, he became Ambassador Bhasin to governments in Botswana, the United States, South Africa and Denmark. After his first “retirement”, eager to share his knowledge and love for diplomacy and international relations, he evolved into Professor Bhasin. In his almost 20 years at Stony Brook University, he exposed thousands of young people to the power of diplomacy over conflict, the wonders of South and East Asia, and the complexities of the geopolitics of India, China and the United States.
    Harshji was a devoted husband to his constant companion Kumkum for 52 years, as they moved almost 15 times across continents. Dadaji and Nana had boundless love for his grandchildren Shreyas, Shivanjali, Aashna and Jayna – with whom the next game of bluff, the next story-reading and the errant chocolate ice cream was never too much. And Pa was a father to Aditya (Kate) and Madhuri (Dan) who raised them through his example of pursuing excellence, of honesty and honor, and of course, a love of pizza, chocolate, and anything sweet. Our family, and the thousands of people he touched, will miss him dearly.
    Visitation and prayers will be held from 11am-1pm on Tuesday March 28 at Moloney’s Lake Funeral Home (132 Ronkonkoma Ave., Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779), followed by refreshments.
    In lieu of flowers, we request that you make a contribution to support an award in Ambassador Bhasin’s name for Stony Brook students interested in a career in the foreign service (details below).
    To make a contribution, please visit https://tinyurl.com/HarshBhasin .
    When making your contribution check the box on the second page under Tribute Information, select “in Memory of”, and insert Ambassador Bhasin’s name.
    If you would like to send a check, please make your check out to the Stony Brook Foundation (with Ambassador Bhasin’s name in the memo section) and mail it to:
    Attn: Chris Scarpati
    E3320 Frank Melville Jr. Library
    Stony Brook University
    Stony Brook, NY 11794-3391
    Ambassador Bhasin was a Visiting Professor of International Relations & Diplomacy at Stony Brook since 2001 and served as Chair of the Department of Asian & Asian-American Studies from 2008 to 2014 before rejoining the Department of Political Science in 2014. He holds an M.Sc degree from Banaras Hindu University.
    A career diplomat with four decades of professional experience in nine countries across the globe, his overseas assignments included China, Malaysia, the US, Hong Kong, Nepal, Botswana, South Africa and Denmark. He served as Ambassador in the last three countries.
    At the Headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, India, Ambassador Bhasin served at different times during his career in Personnel Administration, as the Deputy/Acting Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), as Head of the Division handling matters pertaining to SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and as Inspector of the Foreign Service.
    During his Foreign Service career, he served twice in the United States – in Washington DC in the late 70s and early 80s, and as Consul General of India in New York in the mid-90s . During the 1990-91 academic year he was a senior fellow at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. He is also a graduate of the National Defense College of India, New Delhi and holds an M.Phil Degree in Defense & Strategic Studies. Some notable highlights of his professional career in the foreign service include serving in the Peoples Republic of China during the Cultural Revolution and in South Africa during its transition from apartheid to a multiracial society. He was an Election Observer at South Africa’s first multiracial election (1993) that brought Nelson Mandela to power in that country.
    In the Department of Political Science at Stony Brook, Ambassador Bhasin taught courses on the Politics and Diplomacy of Contemporary China, Politics and Diplomacy of Contemporary India, Problems of International Affairs and other courses on Diplomacy and Foreign Policy.

     

  • Riar has died

    Riar has died

    This man should not have been in a hurry to go. Just over fifty, Harvinder Riar’s best was yet to come . His death is a colossal loss to Punjabi journalism.

    Riar was a professional journalist, one of the few Punjabi journalists in the US.

    He came to be recognized in a big way as an ace TV anchor with the popular program “Mudda” on JUS Punjabi TV , and reigned supreme for around 15 years when he fell out with JUS TV and started his own TV channel “Baaz”., over a year ago.

    He also published a Punjabi newspaper “Reporter” .

    A multifaceted person, he was a tremendous communicator whether as anchor and presenter  on TV channels, or as commentator and master of ceremonies at various sports and cultural events, or as a reporter/ commentator/ editor of newspaper. The Punjabi community will surely miss him.
    Riar’s death has created a vaccum which , I don’t think is fillable.

    His death is a personal loss to me even as it is for the world of Punjabi journalism and community.
    Rest In Peace, the one and the only one, Harvinder Riar.

  • Community Stalwart Peter Bheddah Passes Away – TRIBUTE

    Community Stalwart Peter Bheddah Passes Away – TRIBUTE

    HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): Mr. Peter Bheddah, a community stalwart in the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, passed away on July 21. He was 80.

    A man of charitable disposition and generous to a fault, Mr. Bheddah was driven by an overriding impulse to help the needy. He delved deep into his own pockets and   worked tirelessly to provide the much-needed succor to the needy in the US as well as India.

    Mr. Bheddah was associated with a number of organizations , and won recognition for his community work from all quarters. He was a recipient of one of the highest civilian honors of US- the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, besides many  other. awards.

    Several community and business organizations and  individuals have mourned the death of Mr. Bheddah who leaves behind his wife Dorothy, two daughters, and grandchildren .

    TRIBUTE: Peter Bheddah – The Man with the milk of human kindness

    My friend, Peter Bheddah is no more. His being no more means a lot to many people whose lives he touched. His being no more means a loss of world for his wife Dorothy and their daughters, and their grandchildren. His being no more means those who were running soup kitchens will probably miss his charity, until, of course, Dorothy decides to continue with the generosity Peter displayed.

    Peter and wife Dorothy with President Bill and Hillary Clinton

    Nothing pleased my friend more than serving people, particularly helping out the needy and the underprivileged. I know of his support to various organizations engaged in serving the poor in the communities. Peter would not hesitate for a minute if he was convinced that his money was being spent for a good cause.

    I recall my conversation with him after he received the coveted highest civilian award for immigrants-the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. I asked him  how he felt receiving the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and pat came the reply: “another gift for the service I have been doing to community”. The Ellis Island Medal of Honor, America’s highest honor for immigrants, is a well-deserved, long overdue award bestowed in May 2012 on Peter Bheddah who has devoted 35 years of his life serving humanity.

    The New Yorker, with origins in Gujarat, India, has been active in charitable activities and has held positions of responsibility in service projects and community organizations, both in India and the US.

    Peter, a  Jain Kutchi from Gujarat whose real name was  Chhotalal Vijpal Bheddah,  came to America as a student in 1960 after his college in Chennai. He started a business dealing in electronics.  IDC Marketing started by him in 1972 from Manhattan grew to do millions of dollars of business annually in electronics wholesale trade selling telephones, television sets, VCRs, Sony Walkmans, cameras, etc. It was also the first Indian American company in the line. While business prospered, Bheddah never lost track of what he set out to achieve: to help the needy. He has delved deep into his own pockets and has worked tirelessly to provide the much needed succor to the needy in the US as well as India.

    Having inherited altruistic genes from his grandfather who had set up hospitals and schools in their native place in Kutch, Bheddah’s own charitable activities started in 1994 when he originated and promoted the concept of assisting the less fortunate through India Association of Long Island (IALI). He has since been a Grand Sponsor every year and has obtained truckloads of food for IALI’s annual food drive. This has helped IALI to provide the Interfaith Nutrition Network, which operates 14 soup kitchens for the homeless people.

    After the 2001 earthquake in Bhuj, Kutch, Bheddah visited the devastated area with President Bill Clinton. His commitment to the humanitarian cause has resulted in supporting projects worth $1,000,000 for rebuilding the region. The hospital in Bhujpur established by his forefathers in 1929 was demolished after the quake. However, with his efforts, a new 9,000 sq foot hospital was opened in 2006. The 20-bed Bheddah Hospital serves 23 villages with excellent medical care. He also built 500 houses and two schools in Kutch.

    Bheddah was  a past president and a director of the Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation based in Long Island. The fundraising and completion of projects during his presidency (1992-94) have been unsurpassed on many counts. Over the past 30 years, the New York chapter of the Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation has provided financial support for 50 projects worth more than $5,000,000. Numerous Indian hospitals have received equipment for detection and treatment of cancer for needy patients; Bheddah actively supported those efforts.

    He was  active for the last 35 years in a wide variety of community and service organizations. He was  a trustee and past president of the Gujarati Samaj of New York. He was a trustee of the Samaj for 2009-2012. During his two-year term from 2001 to 2002, he was  credited with raising a substantial amount of money and restructuring the finances of the Samaj.

    Peter Bheddah’s association with and leadership of many organizations and institutions  will always be remembered.

    Mr. Bobby Kumar Kalottee, one of his close friends, recalled his long association with Mr. Bheddah and said he always looked upon him as an elder brother who encouraged him to continue to serve community and humanity, no matter what obstacle some may try to place in his way. Mr. Kalottee  who was filled with grief at Mr. Bheddah’s passing away, lamented that the Indian American community had lost a leader, a guide a, a philosopher and a friend.

    Another old time friend of Peter, Subhash (Sam) Kapadia recalled how Peter was the one who helped him set up his business. He said Peter was the one who guided and helped him in his business when nobody was willing to help him.

    There are many who were helped and guided by Peter. The man was kindhearted, of charitable disposition and , at times, generous to a fault. When comes such another?

    My heart goes out to his family who were so used to him. My heart goes out to his best friends- Shiv Dass, Subhash Kapadia, Bobby Kumar Kalottee who will find an emptiness in life with him having gone.

    And, as for myself, I have lost a friend and a patron.. Life will not be the same again.

    I pray for eternal peace to the departed soul. I pray for strength to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss. And, to friends and admirers of Peter, of whom  I am one, I will suggest we carry forward his message and legacy which will be our true tribute to him.

  • REST IN PEACE, ANGELIC AKASHDEEP SINGH

    REST IN PEACE, ANGELIC AKASHDEEP SINGH

    Cruel hands of Death snatched away the 25-year-old Akashdeep , son to Sardarni Paramjit Kaur of Hicksville .

    The handsome and promising young man was riding a motorbike when he met with an accident on May 17, 2020. He was hospitalized with life threatening injuries at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola. Despite of best efforts of doctors to save his life, he died on June 18, leaving his family and friends to mourn  his loss. He was laid to rest  on Tuesday, June 23.

    Akashdeep will ever be deeply missed.

    The Indian Panorama family prays for eternal  peace to the  dear departed soul.

    REST IN PEACE, THE GENTLE SOUL.

  • OBITUARY

    OBITUARY

    It is with deepest sorrow that we inform you of the untimely  and  sad passing of our beloved Vinod Kotahwala on February 11th in Tucson Arizona.

    He was a wonderful man who was loved, is missed, and will always be cherished. His kindness and generosity were  inspiration to all.

    He immigrated from Jaipur, India and opened the doors to his business in 1971. His wife, Sushma Kotahwala, and he built a home for their three children in New York City. He achieved the “American Dream”. However, he did not stop there. He supported and helped families emigrate and setup offices and businesses within the United States and around the world.

    He loved to travel. He learned and spoke multiple languages, including Portuguese fluently. Never will you meet a man who more faithfully lived by his values. His word was his bond and everyone knew it.  He was a hardworking, dynamic, patient, honest, generous, and caring man. He always stood up for what was right and fair even though at times it was the harder choice. He helped everyone whenever he could. They don’t’ make men like him. The best quality about Vinod was he always saw the good in people when no one else could. He was known as a gentleman and has now become a guardian angel.

    His funeral service will take place as per program below:-

    Date: Feb 16th

    Time: 11AM – 1PM

    Location:

    Moloney’s Lake Funeral Home & Cremation Center

    132 Ronkonkoma Avenue · Lake Ronkonkoma, New York 11779

    (631) 588-1515

    https://www.moloneyfh.com/obituary/vinod-kotahwala/

    We would be grateful if you could pass this message along to anybody who knew him and would like to join his family and friends in honoring his life.

    Sushma Kotahwala (wife),

    Eshvar Kotahwala, Prashant and Shweta Goenka, Rishab and Vidhi Malhotra

    Haridasji Kotahwala and the entire Kotahwala family

  • Obituary to Vinod Kotahwala

    Obituary to Vinod Kotahwala

    Losing a dear friend is heartbreaking. Though life is uncertain, we all know, yet we do not expect a tragedy to befall so suddenly. We live in hope for the best. And here is the sudden shock.

    My dear friend for the last 15 years here in the US , Mr. Vinod Kotahwala , a diamond merchant of New York and a well known person in the community had reportedly gone out of New York for a professional exhibition. According to his elder brother Haridass Kotahwala who I spoke with this morning , Vinod had a heart attack on Sunday night, followed by brain haemorrhage on Monday morning, to which he succumbed , after having been kept on life support,  on Tuesday, Feb 12 morning.

    I don’t know how his wife Sushma will bear this terrible life shattering loss. His lovely children who doted on their father must be in terrible pain. His friends, like me, must be in a state of shock, just as I am. Life will never be the same again for his family and friends.

    I will miss his cheerful disposition, his cherubic smile, warmth of his affection, his concern for me , and for others like me. He was a spring of encouragement, hope and love. I don’t think the void his sudden and untimely demise has created can ever be filled. There can never be another like him.

    I recall nostalgically my many meetings and sittings with him and the pleasure each encounter with him brought me, and feel a nerve shattering sense of loss at his sudden departure.

    Like all others, I do understand we cannot prevent Death from plundering life at Will. I also know we cannot do anything but accept the Will of God. What is left to us is pray for eternal rest to the departed soul. So I do in all love for Vinod, and in all humility to the Almighty to grant eternal rest to my dear departed friend. I pray to God Almighty to give strength to the family to bear the terrible loss.

    Vinod will for ever live in the heart of his family and friends. Amen!