SARITA BHALOTRA

I just read this obituary and had no idea that sarita was no longer with us. I had sarita haze me when I entered medical school and then she became my close friend and mentor. We had the best of times. My condolences to the family and if the kids would like to know a few details of our time together please email me

I was shocked and saddened to hear about Sarita's passing. She and I worked closely together on the Health, Science and Society (HSSP) program for 10 years.As the co-chair of the program Sarita infused the program with enthusiasm and rigor and continually encouraged students to develop commitment and rigor in their interests in health. In particular Sarita developed both a global and policy frame for examining health in society. She was a caring mentor to hundreds of undergraduates, who...

When with her friends, my mother, Joyce Merson, was at her best: quick to laugh and a riveting storyteller. The women she chose for friends were also good fun and I loved them. Most of them knew me as a not-too-competent child, but Sarita moved to the neighborhood when I was a teen and for all I knew, she hadn't heard every embarrassing story about my youth.
Sarita was the younger sister Mom never had. Mom had a reserve of hard-won secrets to running a home and life in New England. She...

Offering our sincere condolences. May the God of love comfort your heart and make you firm in your time of grief. 2 Thessalonians 2:16,17.

Sarita was on my dissertation support group at the Heller School from 1993-1995. I could not have finished my doctoral dissertation without her regular feedback and support. From then on, we were friends; she cooked for us at her house on the lake, and she came to my home with Meera for the holidays. Sarita was proud of her children and shared stories about their lives whenever we got together. She was warm and socially adept, an elegant conversationalist and guest at the gatherings we...

The Bhalotra family moved in next door when I was around 10 years old. Sarita enchanted me from the moment I saw her. She glided beautifully through life, with her long hair, flowing saris, bangles and bindi. She spoke softly yet commanded attention. She smelled like flowers, even during winter in Maine. (Speaking of which, I wonder how many layers of long underwear she sported under those Indian silks!) In summer, I saw her work in the garden and grow vegetables (maybe there were chickens...

Like all the neighbors, we were shocked and saddened to hear of Sarita's passing. Our condolences to all the family -- she was a great participant in so many community projects, and will be missed in all of them.