Prasun K Chakravarty

Prasun K. Chakravarty, 77, originally of Dehri-on-Sone, India, passed away on Friday, February 6, 2026, at his home in Washington, D.C. He died peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by family, after a five-year struggle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

He was the eldest son of Jadunath and Surobala Chakravarty and spent his early years across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh before pursuing higher education. Prasun earned a master’s degree in chemistry from Patna University and received his PhD in chemistry at the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) in Lucknow. He then accepted postdoctoral positions in the United States, first at Utah State University followed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he worked on a protease-based pro-drug project for cancer chemotherapy. This is also where he met his wife to-be Sumita Sinha. Prasun went on in 1982 to join the pharmaceutical company Merck as a research scientist, where he led a distinguished scientific career spanning 30 years and resulting in over 56 inventions. His work contributed to the development of therapeutic medicines, including his ground-breaking discovery of Losartan in 1995, which are used by millions of people each year worldwide. Prasun, also known as P.K., was widely respected by colleagues for his intellectual rigor, humility and compassion, and enduring commitment to scientific excellence and leadership. He was also passionate about mentoring and supporting the next generation of STEAM talent.

Prasun was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. His deep kindness and empathy, quiet determination, boundless curiosity, and steadfast presence had a lasting impact on all who knew him. He found profound meaning and fulfillment in countless things big and small: his family and friends, learning from and teaching others, music of all kinds, cheeky humor and jokes, thoughtful conversation about topics ranging from philosophy to politics, experimentation in cooking, travel and cultural exploration, reading articles and telling stories, and the loving companionship he shared with the family dog, Eri.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Sumita S. Chakravarty; his children, Anupam Chakravarty and Aditi Chakravarty and their spouses Connie Parham and Naveen Rao (respectively); his grandchildren, in age order, Kiran Chakravarty Rao, Reya Belle Chakravarty, and Rohan Chakravarty Rao; and his siblings, Beena Putatunda, Rita Chakraborty, and Mrinal Chakravarty. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Meena Basu.

A celebration of life in honor of Dr. Prasun K. Chakravarty will be held on Monday, February 16, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at National Funeral Home in Falls Church, VA. A livestream will be available for those unable to attend.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his honor may be made to the American Chemical Society, the Humane Rescue Alliance, or the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. The family welcomes messages of remembrance and personal stories celebrating his life.

May his memory be a blessing.

May his soul rest in peace.

ওঁ শান্তি শান্তি শান্তি।