Dr. Rajnikant "R.C." Chandulal Shah

Born on April 11, 1944, he was the son of the late Chandulal Maneklal Shah and the late Kamala Laxmi Shah.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Hina Shah, Esq. (née Udwadia); his son, Dr. Rikin Shah; his daughter, Rina Shah Bharara and her husband, Dr. Niteesh Bharara; his daughter, Disha Shah; his granddaughter, Viya Laxmi Bharara; his sisters, Sushila Shah (Ramanik), Nirmala Patel (Vinod), Mrudula Shah (Vikram), Aruna Shah, Manjula Shah, Nisha Samani (Ashwin), Dr. Mina Rathod (Kamal), Anjana Shah (Pankaj), and Smita Shah; his brothers, Raman Shah (Kala), Mahendra Shah, Jitendra Shah (Surekha), and Dr. Atul Shah; his maternal uncle, Lalbhai D. Shah; his mother-in-law, Urmilabhen Udwadia; his brother-in-law, Dr. Suresh Udwadia (Vandana); and his sister-in-law, Kalpana Shukla (Kamlesh). He was adored by numerous nieces and nephews around the world. Dr. Shah was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Kala T. Desai, as well as his father-in-law, Prof. Nagindas Udwadia.

Dr. Shah was born and raised in Jinja, Uganda before he moved to Mumbai, India to attend Grant Medical College. He moved from Mumbai to Durham, North Carolina in 1971, where he trained and served as a resident surgeon at Duke University Medical Center until 1973. Later that same year, Dr. Shah moved to Beckley, West Virginia where he continued his surgical training with Appalachian Regional Hospitals and West Virginia University School of Medicine; it was there that he began a long and passionate career devoted to serving the medical needs of the southern West Virginia community.

As a General Surgeon in private practice for over forty years, Dr. Shah truly loved serving Beckley and the surrounding communities of Hinton, Sophia, Rainelle, Oak Hill, and Meadow Bridge. Alongside that active and influential career, he devoted his time over the decades to various medical leadership roles ranging from Board of Trustees Member to Medical Director of two hospitals with Appalachian Regional Healthcare. He served as President of the WV American College of Surgeons as well as earned many accolades and titles at multiple area hospitals including Chairman of Surgery, Chief of Medical Staff, and President of Raleigh County Medical Society. He spent over twenty years serving as a Clinical Associate Professor for West Virginia University School of Medicine and held decades of experience teaching medical students and residents from institutions across the entire state of West Virginia and beyond; he also found immense joy in consulting on surgical cases from around the world.

Dr. Shah was a visionary in the truest sense of the word; he took great pride in being innovative throughout his lifetime and had a tremendous desire to learn and share knowledge that was ahead of the times. His focus and strength were unparalleled and he had a genuine belief in inclusiveness—which he put into action every day of his life. He also advocated for patient rights and worked fervently throughout his career to promote the healthcare of all West Virginians.

Dr. Shah dedicated his life to a multitude of causes; he cared deeply about education and serving the poor, sick, and hungry at home and abroad. He was inspired by classical world music, especially the sitar which he played in his youth, and had a fond interest in travel, classic cars, and various genres of books.

His dear friends and colleagues remember him as more than a physician—he was a true intellectual who also had a unique and rare ability to make all those he encountered feel as if they were members of his family.

A memorial service to honor and celebrate Dr. Shah’s exemplary life in service of humanity will be held at 1 o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at Blue Ridge Funeral Home in Beckley, West Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, Dr. Shah’s family kindly requests contributions be made to his memorial charitable fund at www.rcshahfoundation.org