Birth date: Jul 22, 1934 Death date: Jan 5, 2026
In loving memory of Sushil Kumar Anand, who passed away on January 05, 2026, at 91 years old in Chantilly, Virginia, United States. He was the devoted husband of Rani Anand and loving father of Sunil (Tina) Anand, Anita (Dhruva) S Read Obituary
I have fond memories of our dear friend Sushil who passed away a few days back. I know him since 1947 when we came as refugees from Kasur Punjab, Pakistan to New Delhi where we made our home. Sushil’s family were also in the same situation. We settled in a moderate suburb of Delhi known as Sadar Thana. I was then fifteen years old. Both Sushil and I used to go for long walks early in the mornings on weekends and during summer vacations. In the afternoons, we used to play cards.
Even though we had different careers, we continued to be in touch. Sushil joined Air India Airlines, and I decided in 1961 to do PhD at the University of Rochester, in the USA. Sushil helped me to buy KLM airline ticket at a discount. On September 1, 1965, Sushil accompanied me to Bombay to see me off to the USA.
Sushil was impish and was good at cracking playful remarks and jokes. I would like to make one of his such remarks. I retuned to India in 1966 , the Delhi airport was still small, and one could see passengers deplaning from inside the airport windows. I was accompanying and helping my friend’s wife and her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter from USA as they were travelling alone. Watching this, Sushil remarked to my father, ”Uncle you are trying to arrange a wife for your son; look he is already coming not only with his wife but also his child.” All friends and relatives who had come to receive me at the airport also started wondering about who was with me.
Sushil was the first friend who was invited to meet my would-be wife -Manju, and we three had a nice dinner at a famous restaurant, called Moti-Mahal. I returned to the USA after 4 weeks.
After some time, Manju was going to join me in the USA. By that time Sushil was posted at Frankfurt. While coming to the USA, she made a brief stopover in Frankfurt to visit Rani and Sushil for a few days before continuing her journey to the USA. Sushil and Rani also helped Manju to shop a few German goods. Thereafter, we always made a stopover at Frankfurt on our way to India and spent few days with Rani and Sushil. Those memories are still vivid in our minds . On one of such trips in 1969, I remember spending time with Sushil’s parents too who were visiting them in Frankfurt.
Later Sushil was posted at London, U.K. We planned to spend part of our summer trip with Sushil and Rani in London along with our son-Vipin and daughter-Vinita. On that trip, both Sushil and Rani were planning to send their oldest son -Sunil to USA for undergraduate studies but were reluctant to send their daughter Anita. We encouraged them to send Anita too and convinced them about the importance of Women’s higher education. As a result, both the brother and sister came to USA, both did well in their studies and graduated. Sunil received his bachelor’s in business and Anita did bachelor’s in education. At this point, Sushil asked me if Sunil can pursue further education and I suggested that he should go for an MBA. I helped him in joining the MBA classes at Marshall University. While Sunil was pursuing his MBA , both Rani and Sushil visited us in Athens ,Ohio.
It was Thanksgivings time then and we drove them to my sister’s place at South Bend, Indiana to enjoy Thanksgivings. As turkey is the main dish at Thanksgiving, Sushil and Rani had a feel of the Thanksgiving spirit and we think that it was the first time for them to taste turkey. Both enjoyed turkey and the other accompanying traditional desserts of Thanksgiving -such as the various pies-pecan, pumpkin, and cherry.
Later, we always stayed in touch. In 1998, both Sushil and Rani attended our daughter’s marriage too in Athens, Ohio.
About 5 years ago his three children convinced their parents to migrate to the USA, so that they could look after them more. They did move . After that, we were able to talk more often and frequently.
A month before he passed away, he talked with me about his falling health condition. We both chatted and were philosophizing the various phases of life. We both used to chat for long hours and used to philosophize the various phases of Life’s journey.
The golden memories of days spent with Sushil will always stay alive in my heart as long as I live. Back in Delhi, I had a group of my other friends too and slowly all have passed away one by one. Sushil was the first friend I made and the last one who left this Group. Life is indeed a bubble! I feel orphaned today… Sushil was truly a kind person and a sincere, loving friend. was truly a kind person and a loving and sincere friend.
We will of course stay connected with Rani.
I will miss him deeply. I will miss his telephone chats. But we always remember the good times that we had for such a long time. Our heartfelt sympathies to the entire Anand family for this loss.
May God give peace to the departed soul in Heaven. I want to close my condolences with the following quote: “ When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.”
Yours’ in grief,
Rajan & Manju Koshal, your loving friends.
