Narayana Venkata Kandula

KANDULA, Dr. Narayana Venkata, Age 85, of Dayton, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 20th, 2023 at 10:54 p.m. He is preceded in death by his parents and his siblings and survived by his wife of 60 years, Suseela (Bathula) Kandula, M.D.; his children: Madhavi Kandula, M.D. (Mitchell Platin, M.D.) of St. Louis, Manju Kandula, M.D. (Ralf Habermann, M.D.) of Nashville, and Madan Kandula, M.D. (Gwen Kandula, Au.D., MBA) of Milwaukee; and his grandchildren: Max and Jacob Platin, Chris and Julian Habermann, and Mia, Cole, and Lola Kandula.

Narayana Kandula was born in Seetharamapuram, Kanigiri, Andhra Pradesh, India, to Ankamma (Madireddy) and Gurava Reddy Kandula. His father died when he was only 5 years old, and he was raised by his mother in a house with his two uncles and their families. A life as a farmer appeared to be his destiny, but after hearing about a doctor in Nellore, he decided to pursue that path instead. He had the difficult task of convincing his brothers to allow him to attend school, since their profits increased when he farmed with them. Remaining persistent, he eventually obtained their permission and graduated from Andhra Medical College in Visakhapatnam in 1960. Following medical school, he completed his surgery residency and a Master of Surgery. He began work as a government surgeon, but frustrated by the corruption and bureaucracy, he sought freedom in America. In the summer of 1969, with just 8 US dollars provided by the Indian government, he started his journey alone, leaving behind his wife and two young daughters who would eventually join him that December. After a meal in London, he had only $7.50 when he landed in the United States. Being able to watch the moon landing in July 1969, even on a small black-and-white television, left a profound impact on him. He started his surgery residency at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati and completed his training at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton, where his son was born. He opened his own practice and was a popular surgeon. Everyone wanted to scrub in on his cases. Known affectionately as “Dr. K,” he was followed in legacy by his three physician children, who were also called “Dr. K.”

He loved to travel, taking long road trips with his family and, after retirement, visiting over 90 countries with his wife. His most remarkable trip was to Antarctica, a treacherous but rewarding journey. His medical training came in handy on his travels. On a trip to the Canadian border, he treated a woman with a shoulder dislocation, giving her advice on prevention, only to treat her again on the return flight. His last trip was to Greenland and Iceland, where he had the most delicious Indian food. He loved chicken nuggets and had a sweet tooth. Visiting every grandchild on their birthday was a priority, and reading news magazines and the daily paper cover to cover was a beloved activity.

Dr. Kandula was a kind, quiet, hard-working, disciplined man who overcame a difficult childhood to find success on the other side of the world, arriving with just a few dollars in his pocket but leaving behind a priceless legacy through his deeds, friends, and family.

Funeral service will be held at Tobias Funeral Home, Beavercreek Chapel, 3970 Dayton Xenia Road, Dayton, Ohio 45432 on Saturday, September 2nd, 2023 at 3 p.m.

Celebration of Life will take place at Om Shanthi Hall, Hindu Temple of Dayton, 2615 Temple Lane, Beavercreek, Ohio 45431 on Sunday, September 3rd, 2023 at 4 p.m.