Published by Legacy Remembers from Aug. 12 to Aug. 18, 2019.
MONIUS, Anne Distinguished Scholar and Dedicated Mentor Anne E. Monius, Professor of South Asian Religions, passed away August 3, at the age of 55. She died of natural causes. A distinguished scholar and engaging teacher, Anne taught for 17 years at Harvard Divinity School, where she specialized in the religious traditions of India. "Formidably intelligent and rigorous as a scholar, infectiously curious and eclectic in her interests, and exemplary in her teaching and mentoring of students, it is hard to imagine HDS without Anne Monius," said Harvard Divinity School Dean David N. Hempton. Anne began teaching at the Harvard Divinity School in 2002 as Assistant Professor of South Asian Religions. She was granted tenure two years later and named to a full professorship. In 2013-14, she served as the acting director of the Center for the Study of World Religions at HDS. Prior to teaching at Harvard, Anne spent five years teaching in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. Anne graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College in 1987 and pursued her advanced studies at Harvard as well, earning her PhD in 1997. A historian of religion specializing in the religious traditions of India, especially the Tamil culture of Southern India, her research examined the practices and products of literary culture to reconstruct the history of religions in South Asia. Her scholarship took her all over the world. Anne lectured and presented widely in the United States and beyond, including Canada, England, Germany, and Switzerland. In addition to her scholarship, Anne made a significant contribution to the lives of the countless students she advised. She offered guidance not only to students pursuing their doctoral degrees, but also made herself available to undergraduates in need of support as a Harvard College alumna. Her passion and dedication to mentoring was recognized by Harvard's student body, and in 2014 she received the prestigious Graduate Student Council's Everett Mendelsohn Excellence in Mentoring Award. Anne was beloved by her students, her colleagues, her friends and her family. She dedicated her life to scholarship, and perhaps just as important, to teaching, mentorship, and to the people she cared for and loved. A resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Anne is survived by her parents Eleanor and Felix Monius of Brookline, New Hampshire, her brother Peter and his wife Melissa, her niece Hannah, and her nephew Sam. A memorial service will be held in the fall. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to support financial aid for HDS students studying South Asian religions. Please make checks out to "Harvard Divinity School" and indicate "in memory of Professor Anne Monius" in the memo line. Checks should be mailed to: Harvard Divinity School, Attn: Donor Relations, 45 Francis Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138.
View the online memorial for Anne MONIUS