Obituary of Rajinder Narang

The soul of Rajinder Paul Narang departed this earth on Wednesday, January 5, 2022. Not surprisingly, he left quietly in the early morning hours, as had been his routine for decades before he retired. Rajinder was born on April 4, 1937 in the small village of Ram Nagar in the state of Punjab, India. He was the sixth child of Ishwar Das and Suhaag Wanti Narang, and was raised as a devout Hindu along with his three sisters and three brothers. His formative years were filled with turbulence and heartache. When he was 10 years old, India gained its Independence from England and underwent partition, thus creating the newly formed country of Pakistan. Their family home was now within Pakistani borders, and because they were Hindus, they were forced to leave and make the long, treacherous journey to India. Upon arriving, they along with hundreds of thousands of other displaced Hindu families joined refugee camps. They found themselves in shelters in Kurukshetra and due to the overwhelming number of incoming refugees, they were continually relocated. It was during this time that his youngest brother Om died. They eventually settled in the Paharganj region of Delhi, and not long after, his mother and his older sister Krishna both passed away. The family, led by his father, did their best to survive, with Rajinder selling fruits on the streets to help when not in school. In spite of his circumstances, Rajinder was relentless in his pursuit of education, studying at night under the street lamps. Driven by his desire to be formally educated and with the help of his Mamaji (Maternal Uncle), he came to the United States in the early sixties to pursue an Engineering degree. At the time, US immigration laws were very strict and less than 300 Indian citizens were allowed in the country annually. He was granted a student visa and with less than $10 in his pocket, he arrived in the US. He was given housing at the home of a Christian priest in Oklahoma, who wanted him to convert to Christianity. Rajinder responded by giving him his personal Bhagwat Gita he had brought with him from India and humbly requested the priest to read it. He told him that if after he had read it, he still felt that Rajinder should convert, he would. The priest obliged his request and read the Bhagwat Gita. Upon finishing, he no longer asked Rajinder to convert and a mutual respect grew between them, so much so that Rajinder started calling him “Dad.” After graduating from Oklahoma State University with Bachelors and Masters Degrees in both Civil and Structural Engineering, Rajinder returned to India in search of a bride. As was the custom at the time, his father placed an advertisement in the Statemen of India newspaper seeking a bride for his son. The Food Secretary of India saw the ad and arranged a meeting between Rajinder and his eldest daughter, Asha. Sparks flew. Three days later, on Friday the 13th, they were engaged, and less than a month later they were united in marriage. They honeymooned in Kashmir and Europe and then returned to start their married life in Pittsburgh, PA. Their first son, Rajen, was born a year later and was the light of their life. When he was still a toddler, Rajen was diagnosed with beta thalassemia major, a genetically inherited blood disorder, and passed away of complications when he was only 7 years old. A few months later, their precious daughter Radhika was born and was soon diagnosed with the same condition. Still reeling from the loss of his son, Rajinder vowed to do whatever he could to ensure his daughter would have the best life possible and outlive her brother. He sought out the best doctors and the latest treatments, saving every last penny in the hopes of an eventual cure. His efforts paid off, with his daughter defying medical expectations and not only surviving into adulthood, but becoming healthy enough to get married and give birth to his beloved granddaughter, Seema. Rajinder worked for Bechtel, the largest privately-owned Construction company in the world for over 30 years and then AECOM, the world’s largest Engineering company for 10 years before his retirement. He attained the highest possible acclaim in his profession by achieving the position of Principal Engineer. His career took him and his family to many different states throughout the Midwest and Eastern coast of the US, where he directly oversaw the construction of many projects, including nuclear and electric power plants, airports, and rail systems. He was licensed as a Professional Engineer (PE) in several states and was universally respected for his knowledge, work ethic and practical nature to get things built. Rajinder was a quiet, introspective man whose devotion to his family and his religion was unparalleled. He was the catalyst for a number of his nieces and nephews to immigrate to America and build their own families, lives and legacies on the strength of his shoulders and sacrifices. He rarely raised his voice, and treated everyone equally, regardless of skin color or religious background. He was a kindhearted man who worked hard and believed firmly in decency and the ethics of hard word and persistence. He was a man of few words, but those who knew him never doubted his sincerity. He was a dedicated devotee of Lord Krishna, a dedication that was unwavering over his 84 years on earth. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife Asha, his daughter Radhika, his granddaughter Seema, his son-in-law Achaibar (Dan), his “Samdin” Chan and Tage and his “other” daughter Gaindaa as well as numerous nieces and nephews including Savita, Veena, Gulshan and Ashok, and his grand nieces and nephews along with decades of friends and extended family members whose lives have been touched by his kindness.