It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Deepak Kalwani.

Deepak left us on the morning of his 69th birthday on May 3rd, 2019. He had been ill with colon cancer and succumbed peacefully after a difficult but courageous battle lasting almost two years. Though we are deeply stricken with grief and sadness, it was of great comfort that he passed while surrounded by his loved ones, hand-in-hand with his beloved wife, Neeru Kalwani.

He will be fondly remembered and celebrated by his wife Neeru Kalwani; daughter Tania Desai, son-in-law Minal Desai and three grandchildren (Raiden, Nola and Kaizen Desai); son Vivek Kalwani, daughter-in-law Neha Kalwani and grandson Niam Kalwani; and
siblings Nalini Wanchoo and family, Kamal Kalwani and family, Kunal Kalwani and family, Rajesh Kalwani and family

Though he lived in Canada for most of his adult-life, Deepak was a proud native of New Delhi, India. He was the eldest of five siblings so his patience, kindness and sense of diplomacy stood him in good-stead as the family patriarch. In 1974, after completing his studies in engineering, Deepak emigrated to Canada and in doing so, started a new chapter in our family’s history. So many family members would follow him to Canada and for them, he was a protector, a supporter, a guide and above all else, an excellent example – dedication to family and hard work personified. This constellation of traits inevitably led to professional achievements also – Deepak worked in the automotive industry for over 40 years. He has been a valued colleague, a skilled leader and an important trouble-shooter in his various roles. In this era of shifting employment and rapid-turnover, Deepak had been an important contributor at Van-Rob (Kirchhoff Automotive) since the mid-90’s and he will be sorely missed by his “work” family.

Shortly after he came to Toronto, fate would conspire to give Deepak the reward he deserved for his selflessness and dedication. Carlton Street, Maple Leaf Gardens, 1975, Lata Mangeshkar headlining – a shy, pretty girl named Neeru and our stylishly-dressed hero Deepak. Two years later, they would both marry the loves of their lives and the rest has been an honest, authentic romance. To know Deepak was to know how much he loved his wife and their commitment to each other represents an ideal that we should all aspire to.

It will come as no surprise then that Deepak also demonstrated tremendous dedication and enthusiasm in his role as father and father-in-law. While he was incredibly proud of their educational and professional achievements, he derived his greatest satisfaction from seeing how much they cared for each other and he was most fulfilled by the strength of their bond. Deepak’s basic advice to his children was to avoid needless quarrelling and to support each other in times of need. This might seem simple but heeding his words has provided incredible strength to all of us at various challenging periods in our lives. While his tragic passing has cut-short his time with his four beloved grandchildren, the moments he has spent with them has been immeasurably rewarding and “Nanu/Dadu” will remain firmly planted in their memories and in their hearts.

Our thoughts and Prayers are with the family. May his divine soul rests in eternal peace.