Kameshwar Sahai Bhargava

Kameshwar Sahai Bhargava

Kameshwar Sahai Bhargava, son of Sri Janki Prasad Bhargava and Smt Gayatri Devi, was born on October 19, 1918 in Rewari, India. He died September 13, 2010 at his home in Fishkill. He married Shakuntala Devi who passed away in 1992. Educated at Allahabad University, India, he received his Masters and PhD degrees in Botany. In 1948, he also received his PhD from London University.

He had a long and distinguished career as an educator at several institutions of higher learning in India. In 1958, at the invitation of Gorakhpur University in India, he joined the faculty as Professor and Head of the Botany Department. At Gorakhpur University, Dr. Bhargava also held the positions of Dean of the Faculties of Science and Agriculture, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor.

Dr. Bhargava's career is marked by numerous academic distinctions and honors. He is a Fellow of several leading Scientific Academies in India and has been the President of the Indian Botanical Society, the Indian Phytopathological Society, and the Indian Virology Society. He is a recipient of the Panchanan Maheshwari Gold Medal of the Indian Botanical Society. He represented Indian Universities on the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India. In his retirement, he was appointed Director, College Development Council, Gorakhpur University, India for three years.

Dr. Bhargava was a very widely traveled scientist. He has visited numerous Botanical Institutes in about seventeen countries and has participated in many International Conferences. He has published 150 papers in research journals and was advisor to 30 PhD students.

Dr. Bhargava is survived by his son Bharat Bhargava and daughter-in-law, Sadhna of Fishkill; his daughter and son-in-law, Bharti and Rajiv Bhargava of Mumbai, India and his daughter and son-in-law, Arunima and Daya Nath Bhargava of Lucknow, India. He is also survived by his grandson, Neeraj and his wife, Holly and great-grandson, Griffin of Washington, DC; granddaughter, Ruchi and her husband, Alex of Phoenix, Arizona; grandson, Amit and his wife, Prachi of Mumbai, India; grandson, Sameer of Mumbai, India; granddaughter, Nidhi and her husband, Rajiv and great-granddaughter, Vasundhara of New Delhi, India and granddaughter, Neha of Lucknow, India. He is also survived by three sisters and four brothers in India.

Since 1993, Dr. Bhargava has been living with his son, Bharat in Fishkill and has visited India frequently. He was a respected member of the Hindu Samaj of Dutchess County and was an active member of the Indian community. He leaves his community and his family with a rich legacy of intellectual thought, inquiry and study.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Straub, Catalano and Halvey Funeral Home, 55 East Main Street, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590, 845-297-2610. Cremation will follow at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, 342 South Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.

To send the family a personal condolence, please visit our website at www.StraubCatalanoHalvey.com.