Yash Pal Kapur, an accomplished professor who received accolades worldwide in the field of medicine, died Tuesday.
The professor emeritus, 82, was the chairman of the Department of Surgery in the College of Human Medicine. He is survived by his wife, Saroj Kapur; his daughters Kapila Kapur Anand and Shaila Kapur; and many grandchildren. He died after battling cancer.
Kapur received many international and national awards for his work in ear, nose and throat diseases. Many of his works have been published, including scientific papers and educational books. He was internationally known as a renowned scientist and was a founding member of Hearing International, a nonprofit organization helping Third World countries battle deafness disorders.
“He was a role model,” Shaila Kapur said. “He met dignitaries from around the world, like Prince Charles. He was always an inspiration, there was nothing that he couldn’t do.”
Born in Burma (now Myanmar) in 1926, he became a refugee during the World War II. He fled to a part of India, now part of Pakistan, where he studied medicine at the medical college in Lahore. There, he met his wife. He graduated from Government Medical College, Amritsar, and continued his career in medicine in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, finally moving to the U.S. in 1953.
Kapur was not only respected by his peers, but also by his family and friends. He constantly encouraged them to follow their dreams and was a “aim-for-the-stars kind of guy,” Kapur Anand said.
He was an avid golfer, a tea connoisseur and loved to read and travel.
“He always believed in having fun,” Kapur Anand said. “Even when times were tough, he would always bring some fun into things.”
Kapur and his wife established an endowment at MSU aimed to spread Gandhian philosophy and Indian awareness to help further the education for underprivileged children. He also served on the MSU India Council and worked with professors across the country to further his research in his discipline.
“I will miss a great friend and a great community leader and a supporter of the students at Michigan State and the community,” said Kunwar Rajendra, an adjunct professor of electrical and computer engineering and chairman of the MSU India Council.
He will be greatly missed by family and friends who said they will always remember his gentle manner and sparkling personality.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Asian Indian Endowment at AB101 University Development, Michigan State University, 300 Spartan Way, East Lansing, MI 48824, or Bharatiya Temple of Lansing, 955 Haslett Road, Haslett, MI 48840. A memorial service will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. Friday at the Bharatiya Temple.
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