Obituary

Pulkit Patel

1939-2023

TERRE HAUTE — Pulkit Patel died on Friday, Aug. 25 at age 83 of complications related to acute myeloid leukemia. His passing closed the final chapter on a long and eventful life.

Dr. Patel was born in Unjha, a village in the state of Gujarat, India, on Sept. 1, 1939.
He was the son of Joitaram and Ramiben Patel and the oldest of seven siblings. He attended Sheth M.R.S. High School in Unjha, M.N. College in Visnagar and B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad, India. He graduated from medical school in 1963 and married Kanta Patel of Nairobi, Kenya, on Dec. 12, 1963. The newlyweds then moved to Nairobi, where Dr. Patel completed his internship and a year and a half of general practice. In 1964, his first daughter, Bina, was born.

The young family moved to Wichita, Kansas in 1966. Dr. Patel began a surgical internship at St. Francis Hospital, Wichita, followed by one year of surgical residency at St. Francis and three years of urology residency at the University of Missouri in Kansas City, Missouri.

In 1971, the Patel family moved to Terre Haute, Indiana, where Dr. Patel joined the urological practice of Dr. Paul Humphrey and Dr. William Veach. His twin daughters, Sujata and Sarita, were born in 1973. Dr. Bharat Dave joined the medical practice af- ter Dr. Humphrey’s retire- ment in 1980. Dr. Patel was on staff at both Union and Re- gional Hospitals in Terre Haute. He served as president of medical staff, chief of staff, and a member of the Board of Trustees at Union Hospital. He retired from practice in Dec. 2019.

Dr. Patel was an active member of the Indian community in Terre Haute for over 50 years. He served as President of the India Association of Terre Haute in 1983. He was also instrumental in establishing the India Ecumenical Center of Terre Haute, which provided a space for social gatherings.

Dr. Patel was involved in charitable work in his native India for many years. After the devastating earthquake in the Kutch area of Gujarat in 2001, he spearheaded a fundraising campaign in Terre Haute.

The community funded the re- building of the village of Ludhia, including homes and a school. Dr. Patel also provided crucial funding for the reconstruction of his high school in Unjha in 2007.

Dr. Patel stayed active through middle age, jogging regularly. In retirement, he and his wife made annual trips to India and also traveled throughout Asia. They also visited their daughters in California frequently. After his leukemia diagnosis, he wrote and published his memoirs in both English and Gujarati.

Dr. Patel was preceded in death by his sister, Kashi. He is survived by his wife, Kanta, brothers Somabhai (Shanta) and Manilal Patel (Jyoti) and his sisters Sharda, Tara (Has- mukh) and Kala Patel (Kanti- lal), as well as many beloved nieces and nephews and their children. He is also survived by his daughters Bina (Michael Slind), Sujata (Sunil Kulkarni) and Sarita (David Meyers), and grandchildren Asha and Leela Patel Kulkarni and Bela and Siddharth Patel Meyers.

In addition to his many professional and community contributions, Dr. Patel will be remembered for his wit, warmth and enthusiasm. He kept his sense of wonder throughout his life and found joy in everything from dew on a flower to a mug of hot chocolate.

The Indian community of Terre Haute will be hosting a memorial and prayer service on Wednesday, August 30 from 6-8 pm at the International Union of Operating Engineers, at 6801 S US HWY 41, Terre Haute.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Dr. Patel may be directed to the Pulkit Patel Memorial Fund via Wabash Valley Community Foundation in Indiana, and Manav Sadhna in India.