Sushma Walia

Sushma was born to the late PL Sethi and Ram Lubhai Anand on October 1, 1948 in New Delhi, India. She was the first of five children who she raised and cared for, supporting some of them to move to the US after she settled there herself. After graduating with her Bachelors in Science in Bangalore, she was introduced to a colonel’s son in 1972, Kavinder Walia, and they bonded over their love of music. Two weeks later, they were married and she joined him in Teaneck, New Jersey in 1973. Their adventures took them all the way down to Augusta, Georgia where they were one of the first Indian families in the area, building a lifelong community of friends. With her beautiful singing voice, harmonium and dolkhi skills, love of dancing,

and flare for fashion Sushma was the life of the party. She made fast friends with anyone and everyone wherever she went, regardless of age or creed. Her coworkers at the Medical College of Georgia often said she radiated light. She showed her love through her cooking, which was hailed as one of the best in all

the community. Her nurturing nature extended to plants & trees; she could grow any fruit tree from merely a seed (as evidenced by her fruiting pear, fig, peach, blueberry, and loquat trees) and bloom flowers on any leaf. She was also incredibly strong, dancing her way through several difficult health challenges,

while remaining a trusted & empathetic pillar to those she loved, especially the children in the community.

When asked what was her greatest accomplishment, Sushma always said her children, Sonia, [Suniti] Nina, and Akshey. Sushma is survived by them, her husband, her granddaughter, Nyrie, and her siblings Rajini (Pinky) Gulati, Sanjeev (Bobby) Sethi, Suman (Neelum) Saxena, Sandeep (Neetu) Sethi.

May her memory inspire nurturing, joy, strength & resilience, and the reminder that food is love.

“...Our beautiful and chirpiest bird with songs of joy for all of us has flown away.

The silence can not be filled.” - Vikas Soni (Sushma’s nephew)