Obituary of Guru Adhari Bhargava
June 21, 1935 - Allahabad, India
September 20, 2023 – Calgary, Alberta
Dr. Gura Bhargava passed away peacefully surrounded by family in her home on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. She was born in Allahabad, India and came to Canada in 1970 to pursue a Ph.D. from York University. She was intellectually accomplished, having held professorships at Lakeland College, Wilfrid Laurier University, and other universities in Canada. She conducted and published research on the sociology of medicine, sociology of families, and urban sociology. She moved to Calgary in 2002 with her sister Charan Adhari (Suman) and lived here since.
Gura was a beautiful person inside and out. She touched, inspired, and impacted all who knew her. She was a strong, affectionate force in her family, all of whom looked up to her and benefited from her selfless guidance, endless love, and constant support. A devout listener, she was always there to listen. There was no need for reservation; her empathy and understanding inspired a level of confidence that made everyone feel safe.
Gura was an immensely curious person, always eager to learn new things, explore new disciplines, and interrogate novel angles to social interactions as part of her professional pursuit. She loved nature: she found the sky fascinating, with its characteristic colours and evocative clouds; and she enjoyed gardening, taking care of her plants in the gentlest way. She enjoyed travelling and has visited many locations around the globe. She was a creative cook, having inspired many family recipes. She even explored all these passions further through photography and has entered work in local competitions.
Gura is survived by her older sister Prema and brother-in-law Narsingh; brothers Anami and Prakash and sisters-in-law Thilothama and Kumud; nieces Abha (Sudeep), Smita (Amitabh), Leena (Sanjay), Hansa, Mudita (Dan) and Aparna (Michael); and nephew Anil (Bhavna). She is fondly remembered by her grandchildren, Aditya (Elizabeth), Anant (Neha), Amol (Alysha), Nidhi (Kanishk), Poorva (Nilayam), Anirudh, Supriya (Lucas), Meghan, Arjun, Arya, Ellora, Daivik, Keshav and Kalyan.
Gura was predeceased by her younger sister Suman.
A private cremation ceremony is being held on September 25, 2023. Friends, family, and colleagues are invited to celebrate her life on September 26, 2023, at 6:30 pm at Community Hall, Arbour Lake Residents Association, 12 Arbour Lake Drive NW, Calgary, AB T3G 4A3.