Dr. Sudha Sur

Dr. Sudha Mondal Sur of Houston, TX, passed away on May 6, 2023. Dr. Sur was born in Bardhaman, West Bengal, India on March 5, 1935 to Manindra (Nath) and Mondakini Mondal. The sixth of seventh children, her beloved mother passed when she was two.

She grew up in a close-knit extended family with her sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces, and nephews. She excelled in school at a young age and lobbied her father to allow her to pursue advanced education at Raj College.

A gifted scholar, Dr. Sur broke gender barriers as a medical student at the Medical College and Hospital of Kolkata. She was the first woman in her family to go to college and pursue an advanced degree. She paved the way for other women in her family to pursue advanced degrees in science, engineering, medicine, business, education, and law.

She married Paritosh Kumar Sur, an accomplished Chemical Engineer and social activist. After a brief period in the United Kingdom, Dr. Sur and her family moved to Houston, TX in 1970. In the early 70’s, she worked for Baylor College of Medicine and Jefferson Davis Hospital and became licensed to practice medicine in the state of Texas.

Shortly thereafter, Dr. Sur moved to Orange, TX to start her own practice as an obstetrician and gynecologist. Over her nearly four decades of practice, Dr. Sur delivered thousands of newborn babies and was a fierce advocate for maternal health. It was not uncommon to run into families in Houston and nearby communities whose lives Dr. Sur touched. The loss of her mother at a young age to complications of pregnancy defined Dr. Sur’s mission of advocating and providing maternal care to marginalized populations. A Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr. Sur served as an attending physician for the Memorial Hermann Health System and published multiple studies on delivery and labor.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Sur was a pillar of strength for the Bengali community of southeast Texas. Dr. Sur was a foundational member of the Houston Durga Bari Society and was instrumental in the construction of the Durga Mandir Hindu Temple in the Fall of 2000, and a free clinic shortly thereafter. A gifted singer and musician, Dr. Sur could be seen nearly every weekend playing her harmonium amongst throngs of temple visitors. The Bengali community of Houston will cherish the memory of Dr. Sur’s strength, compassion, and vision. Dr. Sur is survived by her daughter, Sutapa Sur, grandson, Andrew Badachhape, brother-in laws Barun, Tarun, Tapash, and Tushar Tarafdar and their families, and numerous nieces and nephews in India. In particular, the family would like to thank Dr. Sur’s devoted caregivers, Sabina Hernandez, Tavia Smith, Angelique Walker, and Amaka Onyeama for their exceptional care of Dr. Sur.

A visitation and service celebrating Dr. Sur’s remarkable life will be held at the Chapel of Eternal Peace at Forest Park on Friday, March 12 from 9 AM – 1 PM, with remarks at 10:30 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Dr. Sur’s name can be made to causes that support maternal and children’s health such as Texans Care for Children (https://txchildren.org) and Starlight (https://www.starlight.org).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.chapelofeternalpeace.com for the Sur family.