Pradyut Shah

Our beloved and brilliant son, brother, friend, and confidante, Pradyut Shah, passed away on December 6, 2025, at his home in New York City.

Pradyut was born in Mumbai on June 8, 1973, to Kaumudini Shah (deceased, April 14, 2023). He was the eldest, firstborn, and beloved grandson of the Navnitlal D. Shah family. He is survived by his father, Rajnikumar Shah; his sister, Kavita Shah; his brother-in-law, Jason Bloking; and members of the N.D. Shah (patrilineal) and J.T. Shah (matrilineal) families.

Pradyut spent his early years in Bombay, attending Don Bosco Primary School before studying at IIT Bombay, where he earned his B.Eng. in Computer Science. His intellectual curiosity and love of rigorous thinking led him to the University of Chicago, where he completed his PhD in Mathematics and Computer Science. He went on to a distinguished career in proprietary trading, working for Morgan Stanley, Diamondback Capital, and Nomura Bank, and later brought his expertise and creativity to two early-stage startups, Pefin and Syntiant.

Academic and professional accomplishments describe only a small part of who Pradyut was.

He was an extraordinary and prodigious reader from an early age. As a four-year-old child, he spent one summer visiting a local library in Bombay every day, steadily reading his way through its shelves. By the end of the season, he had exhausted the entire collection. When the librarian doubted it, Pradyut challenged him: "Pick any book, any page." He recited the contents from memory-an early glimpse of the voracious intellect that would define him for the rest of his life. As an adult, James Joyce remained his favorite writer, one of many authors he engaged with deeply and endlessly.

Pradyut's love of learning extended far beyond books. He was passionate about art in all its forms-painting, sculpture, music, opera, theater, and film-and it was little surprise to anyone who knew him that he chose to make New York his home. Surrounded by humanity and culture, he thrived.

He was equally passionate about conversation-real conversation-animated by curiosity, humor, and generosity. He loved to talk about the things that fascinated him, but he loved just as much hearing about whatever moved you. He believed that people's passions were part of what made life beautiful.

Travel and history were lifelong interests as well. Pradyut journeyed widely across India, the United States, and Europe, absorbing landscapes, cultures, and stories. Outside of New York, Bombay, Chicago, and Paris held a special place in his heart.

Pradyut had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, a quick wit, an infectious energy, and a huge heart filled with love for all. He lived his life to the fullest, the way he always wanted to, and never looked back. Pradyut forever enriched his life and the lives of those around him with beauty and generosity, whether through books, music, art, or mathematics, and he nourished everyone's soul and stomach with his love for food. His home wasn't just a place; it was a refuge of warmth, knowledge, and shared passion.

Pradyut will be remembered for his sharp mind, boundless curiosity, warmth, wit, and for inspiring others simply by caring so deeply about the world and the people around him. In this time of profound loss, we collectively mourn his departure, feeling an immense void that binds us together in sorrow. His absence is felt not only within our family but also among all who he touched with his spirit and wisdom.

His name, Pradyut, means 'Light from Within' in Sanskrit. As an illuminating spirit, Pradyut gathered the best of the best in everything he read, saw, felt, and experienced. We will forever carry his light in the remainder of our inner lives. Let us find solace in shared memories and love as we celebrate his life. May his absence be a forever reminder to us all to embrace beauty, passion, genuine connection, and lifelong learning.

Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations in Pradyut's memory be made to the New York Public Library, in honor of his lifelong devotion to knowledge and learning.