Supriya Roy was not one to give up on something he loved and cherished. He revived his dying magnolia tree to life - and next year, and the years after, it will bloom. It will bring happiness to many in the way Supriya-da brought cheer and fun to the lives he touched. Where did Supriya Roy get his love for music, the arts, and the dialogue? He was born on September 23, 1933 at Santiniketan. His next door neighbor, and childhood friend, was the future Noble Laureate Amartya Sen. Rathindranath Tagore, a friend of his grandfather, was then the Acharya of Santiniketan. He was admitted to the Engineering College at Jadavpur University in 1957. While working in Assam after graduation, he was delighted to be involved in Kamakhya Mandir electrification. From Assam to Bedford, England was a long way in 1965, when Supriya Roy went to work for Greaves Crompton. Nothing could stand in his way then: he had married his love of life, and companion forever, Shubha. No one was more delighted then his older brother Manida, and his Boudi. You guessed it: Shubha is boudi's younger sister. To Supriya Roy and Shubha, two delightful daughters were born: Esha in 1965 and Romita in 1974. 1971 was another landmark year. That year Supriya Roy came to Baltimore, where he enriched the lives of many : a strong voice and an ardent supporter of the community, his co-workers, and above all our larger family, PRANTIK. It was not long after this that he earned his honorary title "Raisaheb" from his early Baltimore friends.
Friday was our bridge day. (Ed - See Supriya Roy Memorial Bridge Tournament.) As I drove with him to our bridge venue, I always reflected on how in a few short months he had made me feel like I had known him for a very long time. He made me feel at ease. He let me be myself. He would talk about gardening, about philosophy, his children and mine; and excitedly about politics. I wondered then why Supriya-da had not become a politician. On September 19, 2004, Supriya Roy died from a stroke and complications thereafter. Many attended his funeral and cremation on September 22, 2004. Many came to show their respect and admiration for Supriya Roy and their love and support for Shubha and the family one more time at the Memorial service at Divinity Lutheran Church on Sunday, October 3, 2004. Many had sent emails and written letters to his family since.
Now I know that Supriya Roy was bigger than a politician: he was an Ambassador of Goodwill. The letter written to Shubha by one of Supriya Roy's childhood friends, Tan Lee, the son of a Chinese Language Professor at Santiniketan, captures this sentiment fully:
Besides his elder Manida who now lives in San Francisco, Supriya Roy has a younger brother and an older sister living in India. Chloe and Lia, his granddaughters, ask of Dada everyday. Ananda and Paul, his son-in-law, speak of him with much fondness. Romy remembers how happy Baba was when he was loved : especially when she took his side in an argument. When Romi was whining because she turned thirty, father reminded her that at 71, he still could pass for 30.
His many friends and relatives will miss him greatly. They will also celebrate his life. None can speak of fond memories, and of the true worthiness of a man, more eloquently than a daughter, Esha:
A year ago this time, my sister, Romi, and I were practicing reciting a poem that she had written in honor of our father's 70th birthday. We had so much fun poking fun at him. Never did we expect that a year later we would be preparing a eulogy for him. It is so hard to accept that this loveable teddy bear of a man whose face lit up the room everywhere he went is no longer with us. Romi and I were blessed to have Supriya Roy (known as Chholtu by close friends and family) as our father. I remember when I was young how much he doted on his two daughters and how much he liked to share stories with us of his Santiniketan days. He cherished his life in Santiniketan and was so proud of his family heritage. He wanted us to appreciate this rich heritage as well. So every Sunday morning when we both wanted to sleep in, it never failed that before 9:00 a.m., the stereo (turntable) system would be blasting with songs of Rabindranath Tagore performed by his favorite artists. I think it was not only his way of waking us up but also a means of exposing us to our culture and to what he most. I was fascinated by stories of him growing up in a joint family and of his courtship with our mom. I loved hearing stories of him starting a new life in the UK with his young family as he pursued higher engineering studies, the life-long friendships he made, and of his move to the U.S. I remember fondly our summer vacations and roadtrips together. I remember his painful desire to reach his destination without the use of a map and his human navigational system, my mother. I remember us running out of gasoline on the freeway and driving on empty in the middle of nowhere surrounded by cornfields en route to North Dakota. I remember Baba helping me to purchase my first car and insistent that I learn how to drive a stick-shift. I remember attending Rupu’s wedding and the chaos resulting from not finding socks and cufflinks, which later were found in his tuxedo pocket. I remember him humming his favorite tunes completely out of key. I remember his quest for his birthday presents by searching under our beds and in closets and then "accidentally" stumbling upon the wrapped boxes intended for him and then acting quite surprised. I remember his passion for bridge and that, when he did not want to be disturbed at the office during a bridge game, he would instruct his secretary to tell us that he was in a meeting. I remember his love of his swimming pool and how well he took care of it for our pleasure. I remember his love of sweets and how amazingly the Halloween chocolates would disappear before the holiday arrived. I remember how thrilled he was upon learning that he would soon become a grandfather. I remember him singing his made-up nursery songs to his granddaughters, the same ones that he used to sing to us when we were young. I remember him keeping us in stitches as we played Balderdash last Thanksgiving at a cabin in Deep Creek Lake. I remember spending every Father's Day with him, and how much he loved all of us being together. I will always remember his spirit and his zest for life. He always believed that we should do everything in our power to enjoy life, keep a positive attitude, and not get consumed by anger. I take great comfort in knowing that Baba left this world knowing how much his family and friends loved him. He will live on in our hearts forever.
This past month has been a rather painful and emotional one as we sat by Baba's side everyday praying for his recovery. Now, we are feeling the incredible loss of this wonderful human being. We know that Baba is at peace now and no longer has to endure anymore suffering. We could not have gotten through this difficult period without the immense support of our dear friends in the community who have bend over backwards by providing us with delicious home-cooked meals to make sure that we were not neglecting ourselves and coming to the hospital on a daily basis to help us deal with this tragedy. When Baba was lucid a couple of weeks after his first surgery, he asked a lot questions, and when he learned of the tremendous support we all received from his dear friends, he became teary-eyed and asked us to thank each and every one of you. He wanted us to tell you all how much he loved you. He was touched by the affection he received from all of you. He felt whole and complete by being surrounded by a community of such loving people. I know that he was so proud of his family and friends and that now his spirit is very much alive. He always believed in living life to the fullest and that the most important lesson in life is to be happy. He was the happiest when he was amongst all of you.
Words simply cannot convey that gratitude we feel for all that you have done for us. The outpouring of support from your cards, letters, flowers, and gifts means a great deal to our family, and we know that we will get through this time with your continued love and support. Lots of love, Shubha, Esha, Romi, Rupu, Subrata, Eva, Ananda, Paul, Laurence, Jared, Evan, Chloe, and Lia.
