Those Who Will Forever Remain in Our Hearts

ॐ शांति शांति

Obituary:

With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, we share the sad news of the passing of Dr. Roop Kishen Koul, Son of Shri Narayan Kaul (originally from Raj Bagh, Srinagar), Father of Rajesh Kaul Ji - California, on 8th May 2025.

Tenth Day Kriya
📷 Saturday, 17th May 2025 at 10:00 AM
📷 Ganga Ghat, Muradnagar

This will be followed by a Prayer Assembly at the family residence:
📷 C-260, Block C, Sushant Lok Phase-1, Gurugram
📷 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM IST

We kindly request you to keep the departed soul in your thoughts and prayers.

In Grief,
The Kaul Family, extended family, and friends
📷 Contact: 9953120132, 9625206765, 650-278-1531

With profound sorrow, we mourn the passing of our beloved Bobaji (my grandfather), Shri Makhan Lal Bazaz (Chonchas), who left us on April 13th in Gurgaon.

A man of quiet strength, unwavering faith, and guiding wisdom, he led our family through the trials and tribulations of life. He was a living repository of resilience, love, and tradition. In his presence, there was peace; in his words, the echoes of a homeland that forever lives in our hearts. His actions reflected the depth of his character. His life was a testament to dignity, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of a people whose roots run deep in the sacred soil of Kashmir.

Today, as we grieve, we also honor and remember a legacy that will live on in each of us. May his soul find eternal peace, and may we find strength in the love he gave so selflessly.

He is lovingly remembered by his children:

• Mr. Rajinder Bazaz (with Mrs. Reeta Bazaz) – McAllen, Texas | +1 (956) 212-4659
• Dr. Surinder Bazaz (with Dr. Poonam Bazaz) – Gurgaon, Haryana | +91 98100 37288
• Mr. Sunil Bazaz (with Mrs. Renuka Bazaz) – New Delhi | +91 98101 19594

His grandchildren:
Chetna, Mahima, Isha, Abhay, Anusha, and Rhea

His great-grandchildren:
Ira, Diya, Aryan, Aveer, and Aavik

You may reach the family at +91 98100 37288 or +1 (956) 212-4659.

Namaskar Sarinee,

ॐ शांति शांति

With heartfelt sorrow, we announce the passing of Smt. Nirmala Koul Ji, beloved mother of Mr. Neeraj Koul, based in Connecticut, USA.

Vaishnavbhavanas manz asinas jaay..

Please find the obituary details below.

Obituary:

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Smt. Nirmala Koul, a beloved soul originally from Habba Kadal, Srinagar, Kashmir. She passed away peacefully and departed for her heavenly abode on Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Gurgaon, Haryana.

Fondly known as “Badi Anty” and “Sushma Ji” by all who knew her, Nirmala Koul was celebrated for her poise, immense grace, and joyful spirit. Her positive and caring nature brought comfort to many. Her infectious laughter, kindness, and warm presence touched countless lives, and her memory will forever remain in our hearts.

Children and Grandchildren

• Harshada and Neeraj Koul (Daughter-in-law and Son), Connecticut, USA
• Neeru and Anil Kapoor (Daughter and Son-in-law), Gurgaon, India
• Arav and Arihan Koul, Anvi, Tashi, and Syona Kapoor

Relatives

• Shanta and H.L. Trakru (Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law), Pune, India
• Jyoti and J.L. Kak (Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law), Chicago, USA
• Indra, wife of Late Surinder Koul (Sister-in-law), Mumbai, India

With love and remembrance,
Neeraj Koul (Mob : 203-503-7703)
25 Northgate, Avon, CT 06001

Sh. Girdhari Lal Kachroo (GK) passed away peacefully at the age of 86 on Wednesday April 02, 2025. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who instilled strong values of hard work, resilience, and compassion in his family.

Born in Srinagar Kashmir, GK along with his late wife Kanta (Sapru) embarked on a mission to cross the world—from Kashmir to Scotland to New York, and finally to New Jersey, to build a life filled with love, knowledge, and resilience.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Jadavpur University India and two master’s degrees in engineering from the Brooklyn College of New York. Later he went on to become an environmental engineer at the New JerseyState Department of Environmental Protection.

His career spanned decades and enabled him to hold many unscrupulous companies violating Federal and New Jersey State environmental protection regulations accountable. In addition to his career aspirations, GK also owned and operated several boutique motel businesses and also became an avid stock trader in the later part of his life.

He is survived by his two children, Arun and Robert; daughter-in-law’s Vinita/Prerna; grandchildren Maya/Riya/Arianna; brother and sister-in-law Ashoke/Usha; sister Uma; nephews Vickie/Gautam, and nieces Sudha/Angela/Puja. His curiosity, strength, and kindness will continue to live on in the memories of those who knew and loved him.

A 4pm memorial service will be held on Saturday April 5, 2025 at the Leroy P. Wooster Funeral Home in Atco, NJ.

Join via Funeral Home Live Stream: Funeral Home Live Stream (scroll down to the bottom of the page).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Ekal Vidyalaya: Donate to Ekal Vidyalaya

The family can be reached at 609-744-8558

Dear KOA Family,

ओम शांति शांति

With profound grief and sorrow, we announce the sad demise of our beloved Sh. Bansi Lal Kaul Ji, father of Sanjay Kaul (Edison, New Jersey) and an original resident of Kenni Muhalla, Rainawari, Srinagar, Kashmir, on 12.03.2025, in Mayur Vihar, New Delhi.

Grief-stricken:

Sanjay Kaul & Arti Kaul (Son & Daughter-in-law, Edison, New Jersey) (can be reached at SanjayKaul@yahoo.com)

Archana Bhandari & Arvind Bhandari (Daughter & Son-in-law)

Bharti Kaul (Wife of the late Girdhari Lal Kaul)

Jawahar Lal Kaul & Anil Kaul

Rajesh Kaul & Khem Lata Kaul (Son & Daughter-in-law of the late Mohanlal Kaul)  

Contact Numbers:

📞 732-371-8620

📞 99714 19265

📞 99062 05610

Dear KOA Family,

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Dr. Durga Durani Kaw Ji in Houston, Texas, on March 11, 2025. Dr. Kaw was a pioneer in her lifetime, blazing a trail for women in medicine. She was a gold medalist throughout her academic career and one of the first female OB/GYN physicians from Kashmir.

Dr. Kaw was kind-hearted, with an unassuming personality, yet possessed impeccable willpower and extraordinary dedication to her family and profession. She leaves behind a legacy of excellence in medicine. She touched the lives of many and was loved and respected by all. She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Kishori Lal Kaw; together, they were the first Kashmiri doctor couple in Kashmir.

She is survived by her elder son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Dinkar Kaw and Dr. Meenakshi Kaul Kaw, in Ohio (can be reached at 567-868-4759, dinkar.kaw@utoledo.edu), her younger son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Madhukar Kaw and Dr. Praveena Singh-Kaw, in Houston (can be reached at 713-302-4813, mkaw5563@yahoo.com), and her granddaughters, Meesha Kaw, Dr. Kaveeta Kaw, and Dr. Anita Kaw.

May her soul attain Sadgati and moksha.

Funeral Details:

Date: March 18, 2025

Time: 11:00 a.m.

Location: Winford Funeral Home

8514 Tybor Drive, Houston, TX 77074

Dear Community,

It is with deep sadness that we mourn the passing of Smt. Sheloo Koul Ji of Cincinnati, Ohio, who left us on Wednesday, February 19. A strong, intelligent, and vibrant woman, Sheloo loved and saw the best in everyone. We will all miss her dearly and celebrate her life.

Sheloo is survived by:

Vimal Koul (husband, 513-258-5968) Nina and Rishi (children)

Beloo & Navin Mirakhur of Danville, CA (sister and brother-in-law, 215-272-4465)

Nenoo & Satish Rawal of Tyler, TX (sister and brother-in-law, 903-521-7818)

Peloo & Sanjay Badshah of San Jose, CA (sister and brother-in-law, 650-305-1523)

Om Shanti.

Dear KOA Family,

We are deeply saddened to inform you of the passing of Smt. Kameshwari Kaul, wife of the late Shri Omkar Nath Kaul, on February 13, 2025, in Gurugram, Haryana, India. Smt. Kameshwari Kaul Ji was the mother of Ashok and Renu Kaul of Andover, MA.

She left this world peacefully, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family during this difficult time.

Ashok and Renu Kaul Ji can be reached at: 978-973-4545 or omnamo@verizon.com

Om Shanti Shanti..Veshnibavnas manz asinas jaay.

Dear KOA Family,

ओम शांति शांति

Veshinbavnas Manz Asinas Jaye!!

It is with profound sorrow that we share the passing of Dr. Suresh Raina Ji on January 29, 2025, who was currently based in League City, Texas. Dr. Raina was a renowned surgeon and well-known philanthropist who supported numerous KP community initiatives around the globe.

Our hearts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.

Please see the details below shared by the family.

Obituary for Dr. Suresh Raina

With a heavy heart, I wish to inform the community of the sad passing of Dr. Suresh Raina on January 29, 2025, in Galveston,Texas. 

Dr. Raina graduated from Srinagar Medical College in 1969 and migrated to the U.S. in 1973. He retired in 2017 as a highly competent and successful general surgeon from hospitals in Newark, NJ.

Dr. Raina, a past president of KOA and a board member of the Indo-American Kashmir Forum, was a strong voice for our community at congressional hearings, community events, and with U.S. senators and congressmen. He contributed generously to various community causes and was among the top donors to the Vitasta Medical Mission in Jammu. In July 2024, he was honored by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir for his contributions to Kashmiri arts and culture. His philanthropy extended to various international organizations.

Dr. Raina is mourned by his son Gaurav, daughter Namita, sister Sushma, and brother-in-law Vinay.

The memorial services for Dr. Raina will be held on Monday, February 3, at 10:30 AM CST at Malloy Funeral and Cremation Services, 3028 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston, TX 77550.

For further information, please contact 281-772-4408 or email akm@chemicalsinc.com. 

Personally, I have lost a lifelong friend. Goodbye, Suresh! We will all miss you.....Ashok K. Moza - TX.

We are sharing the virtual link below, as we hope this will allow everyone to come together in remembrance, even if from a distance.

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9753003494?pwd=c21ZL2h5MzlMNEhxY05qbWRTUTlzZz09

Meeting ID 9753003494

Pass Code: vcH2x4

Date & Time: Monday, Feb 3, 2025 at 10:30 AM CST

Smt. Rattan Rani Aima or “Bibi” as she was fondly called

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Smt. Rattan Rani Aima, or "Bibi " as we fondly called her. Our loving mother passed away peacefully today, January 17th, 2024. She was surrounded by her family in the home she had built and nurtured through many decades.

Bibi lived a full and rich life, touching the lives of many. She was a devoted wife to our late father, Pt. Kashi Nath Aima. Together, they created a warm and loving home for their family.

Bibi was known for her strength, intelligence, presence of mind and her unfailing kindness. She connected with people of all ages and from all walks of life. Through the years Bibi led a very balanced and active life, finding joy in her daily routines. She was a dedicated mother and adored her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

The Aima family will deeply miss her! Her legacy of love, family, and compassion will forever live on in our hearts.

In grief:

Sh. Vijay Aima (Son) & Smt. Usha Aima (Daughter-in-law) - 91-9810236864

Dr. Ashok Aima (Son) & Dr. Indu Aima (Daughter-in-law) - 91-9070990000

Smt. Indra Kaul (Daughter) & Sh. Romesh Kaul (Son-in-Law) - 91-9419193649

Zippy Aima, Anjulika Kaul, Misha Aima, Siddharth Aima, Anshul Kaul, and Manik Aima (Grandkids)

It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the passing of Prof. (Dr.) Chuni Lal Kabu on December 2, 2023, at 508, Sector 9A, Gurugram, India. A distinguished professor, scholar, and devoted educator, Prof. Kabu 's profound passion for teaching made him a true karma yogi, guiding his students and children on the path of academic excellence.

Renowned for his simplicity of thought and unwavering work ethic, Prof. Kabu fearlessly confronted every challenge life presented. In 2003, he ventured to the United States, becoming an American citizen and contributing his expertise to a Community College in California.

In the later stages of his life, facing health challenges, he returned to India to be with his family. Prof. Kabu 's legacy is etched in the lives he touched, leaving behind a lasting impact on both his students and the academic community. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

In our hearts forever and always

Mrs. Kanta Kabu (wife)

Mrs. Sunita (Daughter)

Mr. Ramesh & Sapna Kabu (Son & Daughter-in-law)

Mrs. Purnima & Dr. Lalit Zutshi (Daughter & Son-in-law)

Grandchildren, friends and relatives

Prof M L Sharabi, a renowned teacher of Chemistry in J&K, passed away on September 13th around 1:15am.

He was the eldest child of Late Kashi Nath and Omawati Kaul of Srinagar and grandson of Pandit Kanth Kaul. He is survived by his wife, Raj Laxmi Thussu, and their three children - Jyotsna, a pediatrician living in Rewari, and sons, Jeet (Jeetendra) and Jeevesh, engineers in the tech industry living in the United States.

M L Sharabi was an honorable man. Kind, patient, generous and duty bound. He took great pride in the fact that he actively taught all the way into his 80s and that he could drive his car in Delhi traffic to run errands until the very end. He was an exemplary father and took great pains to help each of his kids throughout his life. This nature of his extended beyond his family. He always valued uplifting everyone around him and did that throughout his life.

Prof Sharabi loved teaching Chemistry. He taught at Amar Singh College, SP College and Women’s college in Srinagar. In Jammu he taught at Gandhi Memorial College.  He migrated from Kashmir in 1990 and settled in Jammu where he served as Principal of Jain School and as an Administrative consultant of KC Public School. Later in life he moved to Rewari, Haryana. He loved hanging out with his grandkids and would travel between US and India to spend time with them.

He loved sports of all kinds, and you could see him often playing with young adults in a game of cricket, badminton, volleyball or ping pong. This passion of his saw him actively engaged in his students’ inter-mural tournaments

Please feel free to post your thoughts on this facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086079812764

Shri Chittaranjan Kitchloo passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on April 12, 2022 in San Diego California. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter-in-law and one grandchild. Shri Kitchloo hails from Rainawari, Srinagar. After finishing his education from Ewing Christian College (Allahabad), he moved to Mumbai, where he was one of the founding members of the Kashmiri Association of Bombay.

With profound sorrow, we inform that our beloved & ever jovial, Sh. Roop Krishen Taku (Sobtoth) from Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar, has attained nirvana on 27th January, 2022.

Roopji spread joy and cheer on his adventurous life journey from Kashmir to Gujarat to Africa to Chandigarh to Gurgaon. From a Physics professor to a diamond processing researcher to a lifelong learner of astrology - he was active, in good health & in superb spirits until the very last day. He passed away in his sleep from a cardiac arrest and left peacefully for the afterlife.

He will always be missed by his loving family & friends -

Smt. Usha Taku (wife)

Utma & Upasana Taku (daughters)

Rajesh Bhuva & Bipin Preet Singh (sons-in-law)

Ujay, Uday &. Cazmir (grandsons)

Sh. J.L. Takoo & Sh. C.L. Takoo (brothers)

Sh. Ashok and Prakash Takoo (brother &. sister-in-law)

Sh. A.K. Tiku & Indira Tiku (brother-in-law & sister)

Sh. Vijay & Mohini Raina | Sh. R.P & Indira Sapru (brothers-in-law & sisters-in-law)

Prayer meeting will be held at 11:00 am on Sunday, 30th January at the residence D2/1102, Parsavnath Exotica, Sec 53, Gurugram.

RSVP: 9971713461, 9780066354

To join prayer meeting online please use Zoom video conferencing

 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7099932319

Zoom Meeting ID: 7099932319. Password is not required.

On 01 July 1924, a noble soul descended upon village Arreh, Kulgam, Kashmir and Pandit Shambhu Nath Bhatt ‘Haleem’ soon blossomed to be a sterling star in the galaxy of poets & scholars who made outstanding contributions to the enrichment of Kashmiri literature in the independent India. After leading a fulfilling and distinguished life, on 25 August 2021, he peacefully & silently slipped away to the infinite meadows of heaven, getting subsumed with the mother nucleus in the heavenly abode of the Mahadev. With his demise, Kashmir has lost a beautiful voice, an erudite legend, and a noble soul. One lives in a hope of becoming a memory, and here is ‘Haleem Saheb’ whose memory has been etched in our hearts forever. The rich legacy that he has left behind would continue to inspire many in the times to come. He will be dearly missed; his gentle spirit will be deeply remembered for ever. Even though, Pandit Shambhu Nath Bhatt ‘Haleem’ left the valley in pursuit of higher education and professional excellence early in his life, Kashmir always stayed uppermost in his mind, that is where his heart lived. He assiduously and relentlessly pursued the cause of Kashmir outside Kashmir. He made remarkable efforts to keep the Kashmiri language alive as a language of everyday parlance. In a forceful plea to the community he once said, "It will be impossible for us to preserve our culture if we are not able to preserve our language, because language is the foundation on which the edifice of culture stands. If this foundation is weak, we shall be only building castles in the air ". The Kashmiri language and the people of Kashmir would ever remain indebted to Pandit Shambhu Nath Bhatt ‘Haleem’. Besides many accomplishments well documented, he will also be remembered for crafting and then promoting Kashmiri in Devanagari Script along with fellow protagonists, that many of the Kashmiri diaspora today use for written Kashmiri communication and literature. After graduating from Punjab University Lahore, he completed Prabhakar (Punjab University) and Sahityaratna (Sahitya Samiti, Mathura), he became the voice that every Kashmiri loved as a noted veteran broadcaster of the All-India Radio, New Delhi, where he had an illustrious career of nearly four decades, much of it as the Head of the Kashmiri Section of the News Services Division. His poetry and prose won many accolades not only in the valley but throughout the country which included Sauharda Puruskar of UP Hindi Sansthan Lucknow, Sharda Puraskar & felicitation in the Second World Kashmiri Pandit Conference, and Book Prize in Kashmiri from Ministry of Education. A prolific writer with more than twelve books in Kashmiri to his credit, Haleem also wrote in Hindi, Urdu, and English. Some of his popular works include Bala Yaar 1960 (stories for children), Rut Shahri 1962 (hum), Lal Ded 1975 (Hindi Version of Lalleshwari’s Kashmiri poetry), Pankh Heen Panchi, 1965 (Hindi Translation of Thakur Puncchi’s Urdu Novel), Kashmiri Sahitya ke Gat Saath Varsh, 1960 (survey of Kashmiri literature); Baba Farid’s Sayings & Nund Rishi’s Shrukhs (both translated & edited). His last book ‘Zindagi Roothe Nahi’ (2012) a collection of his Nazams, Ghazals, Geet, Qata 'at in Urdu is a modest collection of his musical speech and owes much of its beauty, its magic, its peculiar power of stirring the feelings and arousing the imagination, to its verbal felicity and its varied melodies of meter and rhyme that is soul stirring. He translated more than one dozen books into English & Hindi, and edited multilingual periodicals Pamposh & Kashur Samachar from Delhi, and was in the editorial committee of Vaakh. A collection of his published and yet to be published essays on varied subjects would run into thousands of pages, and amply reflect on his intellectual depth. He gave new words and idioms to the Kashmiri language, much of it inspired from his rural roots. Haleem’s poetry did not bear the burden of traditional metaphors of Shama-Parwana, Gul-Bulbul, Aashiq-Mashooq. He was earthlier and drew his inspiration from ordinary humane elements of thoughts & emotions, that he portrayed with vividness, beauty and propriety of language and imagination. “Yes, this is the very tree And this verily is the place It was here on a moonlit night she made a promise And I drank the nectar of acceptance But she never said the sacred words That my ears craved to listen And in my innocence I was gratified with the thought My friend 's language of silence Indicated the greatness of her speech...” His verses, though simple in style and vocabulary that connected to the common man, have some meditative and philosophic rendering. Life was Haleem 's subject. He loved and adored life and enjoyed its glow and fragrance. He rejected the very thought of life being offended. Indeed, his writings were a tribute to life. “I always wished to live And be happy with whatever life offered, Each time it dawned; I rose-up like a crazy lover And when evening fell I huddled and quietly waited to see once again a new morning”. Unlike many authors of his community, Haleem’s poetry, amazingly, had no space for angst. In his humble and affable demeanour, he would say, “How can I be a migrant in my own country.... struggle must go on and we shall surely see tranquillity and harmony in the valley soon”. In his almost folk style and simple language, his poetry celebrated life, as if he was singing the song of life: “The only reward and result this world offers, is life Life only, and nothing, but life If there be no life, God and its faithful shall not exist ...Ever thought, why, and to serve what purpose we live the pain of indulging in duty, service, and prayer not for nothing It is the cause of blooming and enriching life O ' Haleem, I pray, may life not be offended and the pleasure of movement of life not cease for It is the very force of life that creates and sustains us all...” Indeed, Haleem’s life was a blessing, his memory a treasure. Today we celebrate Haleem’s life, his endeavours, his poetry & prose to keep his memory alive. An incredible man and a beautiful soul, Haleem may be gone, but he will never be forgotten.

With profound grief, we would like to inform the community that our dear mother Smt. Gowri Shouri Kakroo (Bakshi of Mallik Angan, Fateh Kadal),wife of (late) Shri Kashi Nath Kakroo (Zaindar Mohalla/ Peerbagh) left for her heavenly abode on 5th May 2021 at Indirapuram, Ghaziabad.

The cremation was held on 6th May 2021. We pray for her soul to attain moksha and find peace. Om Shanti.

- Kakroo Family

Smt. Sudesh Saraf Zutshi, daughter of late Pt. Sham Lal Saraf and late Smt. Gunwati Saraf, and wife of Shri Kundan Lal Zutshi for 59 years, passed away peacefully last Monday, January 11th, 2021, at her home in Bangalore. She was surrounded by her family when she left for her heavenly abode. 

A multi faceted and compassionate personality, she was a great mother, a great academician, and a beloved grandmother, and was dear to all those who knew and learned from her.

Her kriya was completed on January 11th. The 10th day poozah will be performed on Wednesday, January 20th at the sacred Cauvery Sangam near Mysore. The 11th and 12th day poozah will take place at her home in Bangalore on January 21st and 22nd respectively.

We pray to the almighty for her moksha.

Deeply remembered by—

Sh. Kundan Lal Zutshi, husband (+91 98184 78900); Pamposh (son) and Anjali Kaul Zutshi (+91 97174 78900; 512-300-1117; 512-917-2525); Sandeep (son) and Anita Bhat-Zutshi (+91 88005 92590; +91 77381 83118); grandchildren Sharicka, Surya, Arjun, and Saanvi.

On November 17, 2020 my father Professor Chaman Lal Sapru as the world knew him, left for his heavenly abode. In the days since, the outpouring of genuine love and blessings from one and all has humbled all of us, the family he leaves behind.

Professor Sapru, a true karma yogi, was tireless in his endeavour to spread knowledge, empathy and make the nation and world a better place. 

An embodiment of positivity and empathy, he was tested with adversities from early days, and yet he always met them head on with a smile and placed the need of others ahead of his own. 

He touched a million lives in his lifetime, as a teacher, a reformer and a humanist. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to each and everyone of you for your messages and gestures over the last ten days. 

He lives in all of us, his actions and beliefs guide us to seek spiritual growth and that of our fellow beings. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.