Daya Ram Varma

[August 23, 1929–March 22, 2015]

Daya died at home surrounded by loving family members, Daya Ram was born in the village of Narion, Utter Pradesh, India. He came to Canada in 1959, immedletely after obtaining his MBBS and MD degree from King George Medical College in Lucknow. He earned his PhD degree in pharmacology from McGIII University in 1961. He rose through the ranks of academia and he was appointed as professor emeritus after his retirement, Daya was a committed socialist, devoted to social movements and causes in India and Canada; he founded several organizations in Canada in support of Indian Diaspoia, as well as progressive cultural organizations, including the Indian People's Association in North America and Kabir Cultural Centre in Montreal. Although he was a newcomer to St John's Newfoundland, he was very productive and wrote two books on the history of medicine. He loved the warmth of the people of Newfoundland, especially the friendship offered by members of the Bridge Clubs run by Marilyn Bennett and Joan Fitzgerald. He will be sorely missed by his friends and comrades on two continents. He leaves behind Shree Mulay, a steadfast comrade and companion of 23 years, loving children, sons: Rahul (Dipti Gupta), Rohit (Asma Yasmin), daughter Roli (Deepak Kapoor), his four granddaughters Ila, Sonia, Sarah and Aliya of whom he was very proud and his stepson Aziz Mulay Shah. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Heart and Stroke Foundation which supported Daya's research for 42 years continuously, A very special thanks to Helen Osmond who nursed him in his last days making it possible for him to remain at home comfortably.

Shree Mulay,
Faculty of Medicine
Memorial University, Canada

Frontier
Vol. 47, No. 39, Apr 5 - 11, 2015