Dr. Lalita Rau Sudarshan

BROWNSVILLE, TX. – Dr. Lalita Rau Sudarshan passed away peacefully in the comfort of her own home on Tuesday, the 26th of April 2022. She was ninety-one years of age.

Lalita was a graduate of Maharanis College and worked as a schoolteacher and in various research roles across India before going to the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Bombay to pursue additional study. At TIFR, she met the love of her life, Ennackal Chandy George Sudarshan, whom she married in December 1954. Soon after, they embarked on what was to be a brief period of time in the United States of America to pursue graduate degrees at the University of Rochester in New York. Lalita completed her Master of Science in Chemical Engineering and they subsequently moved to Boston, Massachusetts where she had the first of her three boys, Alexander. Subsequently, Arvind and Ashok were born during stops in Rochester and Syracuse, New York, respectively.

In 1969, the family moved to Austin, Texas and established themselves on the local scene especially as part of the Indian community. Lalita held a corporate position at Columbia Scientific but wanted to spend more time at home. Once the boys were in school, she decided to go back to being a teacher. She was quickly recruited out of the Austin Independent School System to the Texas School for the Blind where she was a beloved teacher until her retirement more than twenty years later. While managing her teaching responsibilities, she also finished her Doctorate in Education.

After retirement, Lalita spent time in India volunteering as an administrator for a school until she eventually came back to be closer to her family. Initially, she spent time in Tennessee with her granddaughters before finally settling in Brownsville, Texas to be closer to her grandsons and where she again began teaching as well as volunteering at the local library.

Lalita’s life was characterized by her sharp mind, her amazing memory, her love of her family and her students, her patience, her steadfastness against adversity, and most importantly, by her integrity.

She will be deeply missed by her sister, Dr. Jayaseetha Premanand of Bloomington, Minnesota; by her son and daughter-in-law, Drs. Alexander and Yvonne Sudarshan, MDs and her son and daughter-in-law, Ashok and DeeDee Sudarshan; and by her grandchildren. She was also intensely proud of all her grandchildren and was particularly thrilled to see them all graduate from college.

A private cremation service was held.

Memories of Lalita may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com.

Personalized funeral arrangements directed by Steven R. Hieu Bailey and Staff have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home at 945 Palm Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas 78520, (956) 546-7111.