Kewal Krishan Sharma

Kewal Krishan Sharmaji was born in India on January 8, 1935. His father died when Kewalji was just five years old. In 1947, during the partition of India and Pakistan, his entire family was abruptly uprooted. They became refugees and were forced to migrate south to the area of India designated for Hindus. Because he was the oldest son, Kewalji assumed the tremendous responsibility of helping his family rebuild their lives in their new home.

Kewalji came from a family of educators and earned two Master’s degrees in Education and Psychology. His mother, Leela Wati Sharma, was the headmistress of the regional government school, and one of the few women in such a role at that point in history. Kewalji’s mother was a huge inspiration to him. He deeply admired and respected her boldness, courage, and tenacity in the face of the tremendous adversity she faced in her life.

Kewalji married Bimla in 1959 and had three children, Jivesh, Poonam, and Neena. When their second child was born with health issues, Kewalji made the bold decision to move his family to England to access better medical care. His own life was tragically altered when a failed ear surgery left him deaf in one ear, making it impossible for him to continue teaching; yet, he forged on. Ten years later, he relocated his family to the United States in order to seek better opportunities for his kids. Although these moves were full of challenges, Kewalji was always willing to “face life,” as he would say, making tough choices and then standing by them. His wife Bimlaji was always a loyal and dedicated companion, offering unwavering strength and support to him throughout his life.

Kewalji was a practical, hardworking, and strong-willed man. He always did what was necessary to provide for his family: working the night shift at an ice cream factory when he first moved to England, teaching as a college professor, as well as building several small businesses in the U.S.

Kewalji had huge dreams and an adventurous, risk-taking spirit. He knew how to celebrate life fully, passionately sharing his love for music, poetry and dance with those closest to him. He always had a strong social conscience and felt a responsibility to improve, not only the lives of his immediate family, but also the life of anyone who expressed a desire to do better. Kewalji never turned his back on any person who asked for his assistance, and helped improve countless lives. His entire life was characterized by a willingness to routinely sacrifice his own needs to catapult others to success. He left his mark on the tremendous number of people who benefitted from his strong work ethic and fierce loyalty.

Kewalji will be deeply missed by all who loved him.