Vinod Kumar Goel

Vinod Kumar Goel, a long-time resident of Bowie, MD passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 17, 2024 surrounded by his loving family in Vienna, VA. at age 90. Born in his ancestral haveli in Tasing, Alwar province of Rajasthan, India on June 4, 1934, he was the eldest of thirteen children born to Dwarka Prasad and Chameli Devi Goel. Vinod was raised in the industrial city of Dalmianagar, Bihar where he lived next door to the love of his life, Sudarshan Kapur, who became his beloved wife of 63 years. They were married in the holy city of Varanasi after completing their graduate degrees from Banaras Hindu University where Vinod earned a Master of Commerce degree in 1960 and Bachelor of Laws degree in 1961. Vinod was committed to helping others through community service as a mentor, advocate and media professional. He enjoyed playing field hockey, gardening, photography and traveling. His valued life principles of determination, discipline, dedication, and dharma (duty) to family and community were the foundation for his success and adventurous spirit.

An award-winning photographer, Vinod traveled extensively throughout India taking captivating photographs for his articles on people and places in India which were published in The Illustrated Weekly of India and other publications. His passion for photojournalism led him on walks with the Dalai Lama in Sarnath and photographing Queen Elizabeth II on her first visit to post-colonial India in 1961. He received a national award in portrait photography for his portraiture of Saint Anandamayi Ma. As a National Teaching Fellow, Vinod was determined to pursue higher education in the United States of America to further develop his skills as an educator.

In 1961, Vinod boarded the S.S. Sydney, an Italian migrant ship, embarking on a journey to change not only the course of his life, but also the lives of his relatives as he paved the path towards a better life in America. In 1962, Vinod was invited by President John F. Kennedy to a White House reception for foreign graduate students where JFK stressed the importance of mutual understanding and learning from others while studying in the nation’s capital. This resonated with Vinod who was committed to helping fellow immigrants find a sense of community in their adopted country.

Vinod graduated from the University of Maryland in College Park with a Master of Business Administration degree in 1963. Together with Sudarshan, they pursued the American dream firmly planting deep roots in the metro DC area by welcoming the birth of their daughter, Nita and son, Vivek, and later helping settle their siblings and parents in the U.S. Vinod and Sudarshan graciously hosted large gatherings with family and friends, serving as mentors to many immigrant families.

Vinod's career was marked by his dedication to educational empowerment and community service. After working as a senior purchasing officer with the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., he taught graduate and undergraduate students at Bowie State University as a college professor of Marketing and Management and served as an admired advisor to business administration students. He also served as a trustee of the Koinania Agape Foundation of College Park, MD which was founded to help foreign graduate students with educational scholarships at UMD, mentorship and community engagement. Vinod’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to start his first business importing handcrafted wood and brassware from India for the wholesale market. He then opened several retail stores in the DMV, International Bazaar, offering unique giftware and exquisite home furnishings from around the world.

Vinod’s commitment to public service led him to become a pioneer in community service journalism. In 1982, Vividh Bharti Radio began live broadcasts every Sunday morning to keep the growing Indian American community in the DMV connected, informed, and engaged in their adopted country. Hosted by his wife, Sudarshan Goel, the first female anchor of the Voice of America’s Hindi service and daughter, Nita Goel Popli, the popular radio program served the community for over two decades. As the longest-running Hindi radio program in America, Vividh Bharti Radio featured interviews with U.S. and Indian politicians, leading Hindi film industry actors and singers and community professionals in a lively music and weekly news format. In 1985, Vinod founded Overseas Tribune, the first Indian American community newspaper in the Washington, DC metro area. Both media ventures helped increase awareness of the Indian American community’s political activism and financial strength. Vinod’s vision of preserving his community’s cultural identity and showcasing its contributions to the American melting pot made a significant impact.

Vinod was a Founding Director of First Liberty National Bank, the first Indian American-owned community bank in Washington, D.C. He was one of five Indian American entrepreneurs in the nation’s capital profiled in Regardie’s Magazine as a pioneering community leader in 1986. In 1989, he founded the Goel Trust to preserve his father’s legacy in the ancestral village where he was born with a mission of uplifting and empowering students through education—dharmic principles of helping others and giving back which Vinod followed and taught throughout his life.

Vinod’s adventurous spirit led to memorable educational family vacations across America’s 48 contiguous states aboard Greyhound bus in 1976, the Caribbean islands, Europe, Asia, Africa and Southeast Asia. His interest in geography, history and appreciation of global cultures and cuisines infused his stories with his zest for life. He continued his passion of photography, gardening, gifted storytelling and writing editorials in newspapers to bring awareness of social equity and political issues of injustice for which he provided constructive solutions.

Vinod was well known for his positivity, ability to uplift others and unwavering willingness to help others succeed. His joy in connecting with people was reflected in his countless friendships and the affection he garnered from all who knew him. Even as he faced the challenges of the pandemic and illness in recent years, his spirit remained indomitable.

Vinod's legacy is one of perseverance, humility and generosity of spirit. He touched the lives of many and will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and the broader community in the DMV. He is survived by his wife, Sudarshan Kapur Goel; his daughter, Nita Goel Popli and her husband, Dr. Krishan Popli; his son Vivek Goel, and his wife, Dr. Anita Babbar-Goel; and his cherished grandchildren Dr. Karishma Popli, Nikhil Popli, Abhishek Goel and Anjali Goel.