Brahm Tej Bhardwaj

Brahm Tej Bhardwaj, beloved father, grandfather, and brother, passed away on August 26, 2026, in Midlothian, Virginia, surrounded by those who loved him most. He passed away peacefully at 89 years old.

Born on October 2, 1936, in India, Bapu lived a life defined by devotion, discipline, and deep affection for his family. He served proudly in the Indian military for seventeen years, a period he spoke of with honor and gratitude — and one we admired him for. Among his fondest memories were the three years he spent at the Indian Embassy in London, and we could listen to those stories endlessly.

He immigrated to the United States in 1977, settling in Winchester, Virginia. There he developed his software engineering skills and served Winchester Medical Center with the same wholehearted commitment and steadfast determination he brought to every part of his life. His work was not just a profession; it was an extension of his love for solving complex problems, dealing with challenges head on all the while showing joy and enthusiasm for advancing efficiencies to make lives easier for nurses, doctors, and ultimately the patients they served.

Bapu was preceded in death by his wife, Chander Kanta Bhardwaj, who passed away on November 5, 2014. For the past eleven years, he made his home in Midlothian with his daughter, Minni Powell, and his son-in-law, Jimmy.

He is survived by Minni Powell, and her husband, Jimmy, and their children Neaz, JJ, and Jaya; and by his son, Manoj Bhardwaj, Manoj’s wife, Urvashi, and their children Simran and Thaaj. He is also survived by his four brothers, Pratap, Raghu, Raj and Parekh as well as his three sisters, Ramesh, Sudesh, and Rekham, in addition to tons of nieces and nephews, as well as many in-laws and long-lasting friends from Winchester, VA. We all respected and loved him for his drive and for his honesty and integrity in the way he lived his life. He loved his children and relinquished everything he had to immigrate to the USA so that they would have better opportunities, better access to education, and freedom to live their lives to the fullest. He also loved his grandchildren immensely and always said they were his pride and joy.

He loved computers and any tech toys he could get his hands on. His love and prowess of technology often rubbed off on those around him as he excitedly shared his knowledge with others. Bapu was a competitor at heart, and we adored him for it- whether playing the card game Thirty One, volleyball, or Teen Patti (Indian Poker), he played to win. Though he may no longer be here with us, his presence and memory will live on in our hearts forever.

The Viewing will be at Woody’s Funeral Home and Cremation Service/Parham Chapel at 1771 N. Parham Road, Richmond, VA. Viewing will be at 11:00 am, Service will be at 12:00 PM, and lunch will be served immediately after.