- Date Of Birth: October 24, 1933
- Date Of Death: November 18, 2022
- State: New York
Menands – Dr. Mahendra Ganjhu passed away peacefully on November 18, 2022, at his home in Menands, New York. Dr. Ganjhu was a pillar of his communities in the Capital Region and beyond. He served his patients through his work in medicine for nearly 60 years, the South Asian community through his co-founding of community institutions; and his wide network of friends and family through kindness and love. His life has been a testament to family, community, service, and generosity. He will be remembered for the gentleness of his smile, his capacity for listening, and the dedication he brought to all he did throughout his life.
Dr. Ganjhu was predeceased by this parents, Pashupati and Khirodamani Devi Ganjhu. He was born in Anigara, India, on October 24, 1933. Before coming to the U.S., he practiced as a young physician in small rural villages in India. The work was demanding, but he expressed joy and reward in his service. To expand his medical knowledge, he immigrated to the United States in 1965 for advanced training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology. His training took him and his young family first to Binghamton, NY, then to Brooklyn, NY, Livingston, NJ, and Salem, MA. He moved his family to Troy, NY, in 1972, to start a practice in Cardiology. For several years, he also served as the Medical Director at Van Rensselaer Manor, a position he held with great pride and devotion.
Through his work and his loyal friendships, he made a difference to the people he cared for, and deeply touched a vast number of lives. Dr. Ganjhu was a beloved leader in the Indian community. He served as a past president of TRICIA and was one of the founding members of the Albany Hindu Temple. He and his wife, the late Dharamshila Ganjhu, opened their home and lives to family and friends, helping new families integrate into the community, and inviting in a constant stream of visitors who laughed and talked together most days of the year. Every summer, he loved to garden, and he shared the fruits of his labor with neighbors. His other passions included reading, travel, and fast cars. He lived life to the fullest, with optimism and on his own terms.
Dr. Ganjhu lost his beloved wife of 59 years, Dharmashila Ganjhu, in 2016, and was a loving father to his daughter, Dr. Lisa Ganjhu. He is survived by a brother, Anand (Basanti) Ganjhu and a sister, Usha (Bandu) Mahto; his brothers-in-law, Rajkumar (Pratibha) Prasad, Dr. Pashupati (Usha) Kumar, Dr. Arbind (Roma) Kumar, Mahendra (Shoba) Prasad and Siddaharth (Kiran) Kumar and sister-in-laws, Parvati Ganjhu and Kamlini Ganjhu and many adoring nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by two brothers, Lal Mohan Ganjhu and Madan Ganjhu, and his sister, Meera (Ghura Ram) Ganjhu.
