Sudesh Arora

Sudesh Arora, of Atlanta, Georgia and recently Spartanburg, South Carolina, passed away peacefully at home with family at her side on August 18, 2021. She was the daughter of the late Durga Devi and Jagdish Agarwal of Chandausi, India. As a young woman, Sudesh was tasked with raising her four younger brothers when their father passed away unexpectedly. Despite her significant home responsibilities, she earned a spot to study at Agra University. After getting married and having kids, she immigrated to America with her family in 1970. While pursuing her education and raising her children, she lived in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Michigan (where she completed her PhD in Higher Education at Wayne State University) before finally settling in Atlanta in 1981. Sudesh worked for the Georgia Department of Education, and eventually, alongside her husband, started and managed the environmental consulting company, Hydrovision. As an accomplished classical Indian musician, Sudesh spent much of her life teaching sitar, and she was proud that all seven of her grandchildren are musicians. To know Sudesh was to feel showered with love. She remembered everyone’s favorite food and would cook those dishes, no matter how complicated or how early she had to wake up, for whenever guests were at her house, which was frequent. A consummate host and unrivaled chef, she loved throwing parties, making her famous samosas and ladoos, and imploring people to eat more. She possessed a mighty willpower and an unending energy to work and to care for others. She had a large social circle and was a loyal and generous friend. Sudesh is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Devendra. She is survived by her devoted husband of 63 years, Ram, by her brothers Ashok, Arun, and Rakesh and their families in India, and by her children: son Sheldon of Plano, Texas (daughter, Madison), son Shail of Grosse Pointe, Michigan (wife Laurie, children Simone, Erika, and Evan), and daughter Shre of Spartanburg, South Carolina (husband Nalin, children Nina, Devin, and Cameron). Her husband was her life partner, with whom she had countless adventures, most especially as they traveled the world after their retirement. Her daughter was her best friend. Services were held at Dunbar Funeral Home on August 19, 2021, and the family would like to acknowledge and thank the wonderful providers who helped take care of Sudesh in her final months.