Ranga Rallapalli Mannar

Mannar, as he was known to all, was born in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India, the first son of R. Ramakrishna and R. Radha. He graduated from Osmania University in Hyderabad with bachelor’s degrees in Math, Physics & Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. He married Neeradha in 1970, and they began their life together in the United States in 1972.

Mannar then completed his master’s degree in Environmental Engineering at the University of Rhode Island. He and Neeradha lived in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Washington and South Carolina, but most of their years were spent in Knoxville, Tennessee, where they were an integral part of the Indian community. Together, they provided assistance to others in ways too numerous to count.

As a Certified Professional Engineer, Mannar spent his career on environmental clean-up projects such as massive landfill contamination at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and nuclear waste at the Hanford site in Washington.

Mannar loved his daughters dearly and always encouraged their independence. He and Neeradha moved to North Carolina after an early retirement to spend time with them and with their three grandsons, who delighted him always. He was a frequent presence at their many baseball and soccer games.

Mannar is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Neeradha Mannar, daughter Anuradha Mannar and son-in-law David Lindsay, daughter Tara Mannar Riner, and cherished grandsons, Sanjay Christopher Lindsay, Sunil Alexander Lindsay, and Joseph Krishna Riner; younger sisters, Karuna Sampath, Alivelu Ananth, Dr. Aruna Kumar, and Krishna Kadambi (and brother-in-law K.B. Kadambi) and younger brothers and sisters-in-law Srikanth and Kalyani Rallapalli and Ramakanth and Padma Rallapalli; sisters-in-law, Nirupama Lakshmikantham and Rama Sreekantham; his nieces and nephews, Kiran Sreekantham, Arun Sreekantham, Venkatesh Sitharam, Mohan Sitharam, Deepak Ananth, Vikram Kumar, Navin Kadambi, Pravin Kadambi, Sumana Rallapalli, Priya Rallapalli, Pallavi Rallapalli, and Nithin Rallapalli, ; and many cousins and dear friends.

Hindu Rites and Funeral Service will be held on Friday, November 8, at 9 a.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary’s Street in Raleigh. Lunch and visitation will follow at his daughter’s home from 1-3 p.m.

If you wish, donations in Mannar’s honor may made to the Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina, 121 Balaji Place, Cary, NC 27513. An online link will be made available shortly, or donations may be made by mail.