Obituaries

It is by my mother, Mrs Urmil Bakhshi, the last family survivor of Prem Bakhshi Sr's generation, his elder brother's widow. Sincerely Vineet Bakhshi OBITUARY 1. We, the Bakhshi family, grieve the departure of dear Prem for his heavenly abode. He was the youngest, and the last of seven siblings. I vividly remember him as a pleasant happy go lucky and affectionate schoolboy, way back in 1951 when I was engaged to his elder brother, then Lieutenant Ved Parkash Bakhshi. As in India, a marriage is not only of two individuals, but between families, Prem would unfailingly once a fortnight show up to meet me at Red Fort where we lived during my period of engagement. He struck up a lasting friendship with my brothers, Yashbir Mehta and Balbir Mehta, being of the same age group. 2. Memories of Prem as a schoolboy, in shorts, are fresh till this day. Post his schooling, he spent a lot of time with his caring and affectionate sister, Shakuntala Kapoor in Faridabad, on the outskirts of Delhi. For a while he took up a post at the Bata Shoe Factory there, but soon found his calling with a Five Star Hotel in New Delhi. A guest at the hotel, a Swiss citizen, took fancy to his ebullient personality and charm, and offered to sponsor him to Switzerland for training and employment at their family hotel. After a few years in Switzerland, where he honed his hotelier skills, he migrated to the USA and gained further qualifications in Hotel Management. A little later he sponsored his nephew Pramod Kapoor to the USA for education and settlement. He had a special and close bond with Pramod and his wife Ansu. 3. During each of my visits to the USA to spend time with my daughter Sadhana, Prem made a special effort to visit us in Cincinnati, where he spent quality time with the family. A heart-warming gesture! On one such of our visits, he invited my husband and me to Florida. His hospitality, warmth and large heartedness were beyond compare. Those memories of our visit to Disneyland, and the sights and sounds of that beautiful and fascinating part of the United States are indelible and remain fresh in my mind, decades later! God Bless him. He had an uncanny knack of putting one at ease. 4. Where ever you are Prem, may peace be with you. You have left behind a bundle of pleasant memories. For me, the last surviving member of our generation, your departure has been deeply saddening. I’m sure that all your family members who preceded you and especially your siblings are there to welcome you. God Bless Urmil Bakhshi Kota Rajasthan India 28 Jun 22