Arak Mathai

Soft-spoken, intelligent, stoic, and kind-hearted, Dr. Mathai devoted more than seven decades of his life to the study and advancement of statistics and probability. Breaking from his family’s farming tradition, he pursued higher education in India, where he discovered a lifelong passion for mathematics. In his twenties, he was awarded a prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship, which brought him to Canada to complete his PhD at the University of Toronto in the early 1960s.

Soon after, Dr. Mathai joined McGill University in Montreal where he quickly distinguished himself and became a full professor. After four decades and being granted tenure and emeritus status, he officially retired from teaching in 2000, yet this was only a transition rather than an ending. He continued active research, writing, and publishing for another 25 years, producing scholarly work until just two months before his passing.

In his later years, Dr. Mathai divided his time between Canada and India. In India, he founded a statistical center to support graduate students, championed the advancement of statistical research, and personally funded and mentored dozens of young people pursuing university degrees in the sciences. He became a beloved figure in academic circles and was widely respected for his dedication to education, mentorship, and the practical application of statistics. His work influenced numerous fields, and he was frequently among the most cited researchers in his discipline. Colleagues remarked that his contributions permanently changed how statistics could be applied across scientific domains.

Dr. Mathai was also heavily involved with the United Nations, participating in conferences in many countries to encourage the global use and understanding of statistical methods. As a father, he took pride in always providing for his children, encouraging them to work hard and to find the lives they deserved. He believed in the value of travel and seeing the world, and he shared this passion with his family.

Outside of academia, his greatest joys were travel and gardening. He traveled extensively throughout the world and took particular pleasure in tending vegetable gardens at his home in Toronto—growing carrots, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and more—as well as at his home in Kerala, where bananas, mangoes, and other fruits flourished under his care.

Dr. Mathai is survived by his three children, his wife having pre-deceased him in 2014.

In accordance with his wishes, no service or memorial will be held in Canada. He asked instead to be remembered fondly and respectfully, and for his life to be honored through appreciation of his enduring contributions to science. Family and friends in India will hold a memorial in his remembrance.