I really miss my beloved brother,who left us. We miss him a lot, nothing can be as beautiful as our relationship.Thanks to him for everything he gave us.Even ,he is not with us,he is in our hearts ,in our memories.
RIP

Such a lively person. From my town… wing mate in 1st year. .. numerous memories  in trains and hostel passing by …Shocked to say the least!!

"Hi. How are you?"

That was the start of every meeting I had with him, as his PhD  student, his TA, or his friend. He didn't have a particularly strong accent, but the way he pronounced those words contained a certain inflection that I have never heard from anyone else, and I'll never forget. It was so uniquely Nirni, and one of my most cherished memories of him that embodies so much of his person. 

I can't believe it's been over a year already. There is so much to be said, yet so few words. So I guess those 4 will have to do for now. 

Me and Aarti had the pleasure of hosting Nirni about 10 months before the fateful day. He was full of life, energy and ideas. He discussed his future plans while enjoying the wines that I had specially stored for him. He enjoyed food at the restaurants recommended by Monica. He displayed his passion for playing flutes and travelled several miles to buy one suggested by his teacher. He had the charm to bring twinkle even in the eyes of the most depressed ones. A bright shining star who had guided many of his pupils would get lost midway is unbelievable. I am sure his work will show light to many aspiring scientists and make him immortal.

I did not have the opportunity to get to know Nirni very well. But I enjoyed and appreciated all of the opportunities that I had to talk with him about matters beyond the administrative: a few rides home from dinners, a couple of unplanned walks home when we happened to be leaving the office at the same time and heading in the same direction, a few department parties and events. I wish there had been more.  I love the pictures of him with his research team at sea, because they seem to capture the side of his personality that I knew and remember.    

When I think of Nirni, I think of the time I met, the time I visited Seattle, the last time we hung out, and the last time we emailed (August). 

Nirni and I began talking because we were assigned to do fieldwork together during the CSIDE project. The day that we went out on the Sally Ann, Nirni got really seasick, so I was constantly checking up on him.  I thought that was a very normal thing to do, but he thought it was a very kind thing to do. From then on, he continued checking up on me during my PhD, always making sure I was doing ok.

When I visited Seattle for a project meeting, Nirni did not hesitate to ask me (and another friend, Hugo) if we wanted to have dinner with him at his apartment. (He had just moved to Seattle, and I think he was staying in faculty housing.)  We talked about a lot of things, including his job, my PhD, etc. But the moment that really pops out in my head is when I made a comment that I thought Indian food was healthy (we were eating Indian food) because it included so many vegetables... Nirni, clearly knowing the truth,  laughing nonstop after that. (The photo here is  of Nirni and Hugo, from that night.)

My most recent memories of Nirni are from last year's Gordon Research Conference. For some odd reason, Nirni liked having dinner with me, so we ate together almost every day. (I say this was odd because many people wanted to talk to Nirni, and I felt that he was too cool for me.) Per usual, our conversations touched on a wide range of topics (not just the academic), but we would instantly stop talking when the most important time of the night arrived: ice cream time! 





I first met Nirni at a conference about ten years ago. We were both finishing up our PhDs; we shared many interests in common and we quickly  became friends. Nirni had a dynamic public persona, which had an intensity and enthusiasm that drew people to him. I think everyone around him knew he was going to be one of the leaders in our field. Over the years, I was so happy to see him grow in his knowledge and influence, and eventually get a professorship in Seattle. 

I was also fortunate to know the other side of Nirni, as a friend. This side of him was very warm and personal, concerned for others, empathetic. I never felt that he viewed his tremendous success as being better than others. In fact, I saw him use his success to pull others up around him, including me. In that way he was very giving and generous.

I sense a great loss with his passing. Not only for our field, but more importantly because he was a wonderful human being, and a dear friend. There will forever be a piece missing in this world, and I think of him every day. I send my deepest sympathy to his family, and please know that we are grieving together.


Just came to know about this sad news. We studied in high school together for two years and were not in touch since last 18 years. My heart popped in joy seeing his name of FB but alas only to find he is no more. All the fun we had during school would always remain printed in my book of life. May you rest in peace, dear friend

Nirni and I shared a windowless basement office as post-docs. During this time, we had many lively discussions plotting a takeover of coastal oceanography. I think Nirni came close. I will remember his infectious enthusiasm, boundless energy, warm and slightly mischievous smile. He was generous to all around him with both his spirit and his time. 
Nirni enjoyed scientific collaboration and his reach was far and wide. He contributed ideas and work that he alone could accomplish and was graciously appreciative of contributions from others. He was a cherished colleague, but more importantly, a wonderful human being.
The grief and sense of loss is difficult to put into words. I continue to read this page and think of him everyday. My deepest sympathies continue to go out to his family.

Nirni and I worked in the same building at Scripps when I was a PhD student and he a postdoc.  I'll  remember him as a wonderful, self-effacing person. Conversations with him often helped motivate me further in my work. He made it a point to personally email to congratulate me when one of my papers got published. I'm devastated by this news. May God give strength to his family to bear with the loss. 

I worked two offices down from Nirni.  He consistently made work a better place to be.  Not only was he funny and bright, but he had an amazing ability to sense when someone else was in distress and to tell that person the right thing to help the world seem better.  Nirni  frequently mentioned how much he cared about and respected his wife.  I send my deepest condolences to Nirni's family.   Our hearts are with you.

Nirni was a wonderful colleague and an amazing person. He always seemed to brighten the mood of anyone around him. As so many others have said, he just radiated positivity,  enthusiasm, and warmth. I will always remember his million-watt smile, and am grateful for having had a chance to know him. My deepest condolences to his family, and comfort and strength to all of us who are missing him.

I had an office down the hall from Nirni at UW. His positive energy and good nature filled the building. I enjoyed his company when his door was open, and when his door was closed, I enjoyed all the funny cartoons and articles he posted on his door.  I miss him. He was an amazing colleague. I send my heartfelt condolences to his closest friends and family. 

As one of Nirni's colleagues at the University of Washington, I'll remember his infectious enthusiasm and his relentless energy for his research and teaching. I am still shocked by his passing and will miss his dedication, warmth and affection.

I only knew Nirni for a short time as a fellow Civil & Environmental Engineering assistant professor at UW, but his presence filled the room. His laugh was so contagious. It was a laugh of someone who just pulled a prank on you and it always made me forget about whatever I was stressed or worried about.  He brought so much joy and fun to every conversation. I will miss him so much.

So sorry for this terrible loss. He was such a sensitive, kind and gifted person. May his memory be a blessing. 

As much as this is painful news, I have always known Nirni as a cheerful guy with a clean heart and will always remember him this way. It was great to catch up with you in the past year after college and I wish we had met more often. May your soul rest in peace.

Though we never worked together on a project in particular, Nirni was one of my favorite colleagues. He was incredibly kind and generous with his time. We always spoke when we ran into each other at conferences, and I really valued his advice, ideas, friendship, and support. He remembered everything I had told him in the past, would ask about how things were going in particular, and really tried to help in our conversations in whatever way he could. He was also just so much fun. He had an excellent sense of humor and I enjoyed that very much about him. I have a huge sense of loss that will always be felt by me and surely by the communities that he was such an important part of.

I was lucky enough to know Nirni as a mentor, a colleague, and a friend, and he excelled in all of those roles. He was smart and engaging with a quick (and sometimes mischievous) smile and seemingly limitless energy. He was incredibly generous with his time, his knowledge, and his conversation, and I gained so much in the time I spent with him. 

What an enormous loss - for his family, for his many, many friends, for his students and colleagues, for the coastal oceanography community as a whole. My heart goes out to Monica, his family, and everyone else who loved him. He will be so missed.

It was a joy to interact with and work with Nirni.
He cannot be replaced.
My deepest sympathies go to Nirni's family.

Nirni was my next door neighbor in the office.  He was closer than a sibling. His office was a place for gathering of friends for fun conversations and relaxation, where we joked about ourselves and everything else. Whenever I needed someone to talk to, Nirni was there for me to give support, to pick me up, make me smile. I miss Nirni so much already.

Nirni was on my PhD committee at UW, and was a wonderfully supportive mentor to me (and so many others). Of course he was a brilliant and engaged scientist, but he also went out of his way to include and connect others, acknowledge our successes, and support our endeavors. A friend said the other day “Nirni saw me as a scientist before I saw myself as a scientist”. I couldn’t agree more; Nirni’s mentorship helped me see and become a better version of myself.  He is missed deeply. Our grief stems from our love, and I will try to channel my grief over this loss into loving my community in a way worthy of him.

I interacted with Nirni regularly since 2017. This was mostly by email and phone conversations, because of the distance, but nevertheless, I will miss him a lot. I'll miss out on his contributions to our collaborations, but also in the emotional sense. He was a pleasure to talk to. I always found myself in a better mood after finishing a phone call with Nirni, vs. before the call. He was empathetic, talented, had a quick mind, and he was very productive, as we all know. I suppose that because of his similar background and expertise, and being not too much younger than me, he was a "fellow traveler" in a lot of ways, and this was often a feature of our conversations. It is going to be difficult to move on without him. My deepest condolences to the family.
~ Erick Rogers

Nirni  regularly schooled me at ping pong as we traversed the ice on the Sikuliaq last year. His laugh was contagious and energy endlessly uplifting, even when he was desperately seasick. I am heartbroken that the world  has lost such a kind soul. We miss you, Nirni. 

Deeply saddened and shocked by the news. 
All my memories of him are of smiles and laughter :(

Prayers for the family.

Nirni was a great friend. Extremely helpful in studies especially during the exams . He was fun loving , jovial and a high energy person. 

He was very intelligent and hardworking . He definitely made a big contribution to this world with his research work. 

We studied together for 4 years in together in IIT Kharagpur. 

My deepest condolences to the family and my prayers and Best Wishes . 

May God bless your soul and may you Rest In Peace. 

You will for ever remain in our hearts and minds. 

Purnendu Pattnaik 
2003-2007 , OE&NA , IIT Kharagpur 

Nirni was the first person in my wing in first year whom i met and became friends with. First year of kgp was fun because of him and have too many memories of sharing lunches, dinners, movie nights and what not.  Was not able to be in touch post kgp days and now feel sad on losing out on a great soul like him. He was amazing, a humble and smiling guy from small town  with big dreams. 

Condolences to his family on this great loss. Will always remember you Nirni! 

I remember Nirni from KGP days. A joyful person with a big smile.  It's hard to believe that he is not amongst us any more. Your memories will always live with us. 

Rest in Piece my dear friend. May God give your family the strength to overcome this difficult times.

Extremely heartbroken.

I remember Nirni as a very gentle and kind hearted person who was liked by everyone. He was in my hall of residence in my first year at IIT and I remember fondly our discussions over chai. Nirni was a very very hard working and focused person. The news of his passing comes as a shock. 

I hope he finds peace. I also wish the familiy gets the strength to deal with these hard times. 

You will be missed Nirni.

Nini was one of a kind, full of joy and passion. He is one of the brightest people I know and I will always remember him with admiration.  Rest in peace my friend and thank you for every word of encouragement you provided! 

My deepest condolences to his family. 

Nirni's sudden demise has been a shocking news to all of our KGP friends. We worked closely in our Spring Fest organizing team. He had a very calm personality. He would always greet everyone with kindness and a hearty smile. It is very sad to see him go. He will always be remembered in our hearts. 

May his soul rest in peace and may god give strength to his family. 

Nirni was a good friend since undergrad days, and was always a cheerful and lively person, someone who could make you feel at ease. We worked together organizing our college fest. I remember meeting him in New Orleans a few years ago... this really comes as a shock. May his soul rest in peace, and his friends and family find courage.

This is a very Sad and Shocking News. Have fond memories with Nirnimesh from our KGP days. 

Pray for Family and Friends.

May your Soul Rest in Peace my Friend!!

Extremely disheartened to hear this tragic news. Nirnimesh was in my section in the 1st year of our undergraduate studies and always came across as a sorted and affable guy. 

This one hit hard. Prayers for the bereaving family.

Nirni's sudden demise has been a shocking and troubling news to me since I heard this a week ago. I knew Nirni as a lively and joyful person. I still remember long conversations with him while travelling back n forth from our home town to kgp during first year of engineering. 

Rest in peace my dear friend ! My deepest condolences to his family   

I remember Nirni as a congenial person whom I used to run into now and then at the KGP campus and indulge in humorous small talk.
Your passing comes as a rude shock.
Rest in peace brother. 
My condolences to your friends and family.


Nirni and I were part of the same group of friends in our 1st year engineering hostel. I remember him as a super nice, cheerful, and energetic soul. I was extremely shocked to hear about his sad demise. My deepest condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace!

Nirni was an incredible friend and colleague.  My memories of him are filled with his enthusiasm and camaraderie.  He made research about connecting with people, not just about the science (though he loved that too).  I will keep his memory and strive to be a teacher and a friend worthy of him.  

Nirnimesh was a wonderful friend and an amazing human. We shared many good times and stuck out the bad times while working on our PhD's together. I have many memories of Nirni, but a favorite one was when he held my infant daughter for the first time and said to her "I am your Uncle Nirni!" Another one is of him sitting in the lab - eating his yogurt for lunch - always strawberry, it was his favorite.  I haven't seen Nirnimesh in a few years, but I kept track of him, and was so VERY proud of him. He was one of the kindest people I've ever met. And he would do anything to help a friend. 

Nirni was a selfless and humble colleague. He was passionate about establishing good relationships and looked out for his friends. He will be missed. Rest in peace.

Nirni,
I am greatly shocked. Words escape me. 

Back in school days , I remember, I used to call you 'Einstein'... 
You were a very very talented guy , a bit shy, always with a quiet smile and  encouraging words . 

The  comfort of having a friend may be taken away, but not that of having had one..

You will always be remembered with love..

I remember Nirni being a very happy and joyous soul while we were in KGP.  I am deeply saddened with the news of his demise,  rest in peace dear friend! My condolences to the family.

Back in the days of IIT Nirni was always smiling and joyful. The smile on your face never faded. It was the same a decade ago and same few months ago when we met.  Cant believe you are no more with us. May his soul rest in peace.

My deepest sympathies to you and your family! Rest in Peace dear friend!

I still can't digest that you are no more. You were always joyfull with ever smiling face. 
 Rest in peace Dost!

Although Nirni and I did not get a chance to meet since after leaving IIT, I have many fond memories with him. He was full of joy and humor, and was around to provide help and advise to friends without judgement whenever they needed it. I am deeply saddened with the news of his demise; and he will remain with his friends in their memories. May his soul rest in peace.

Back in the days at IIT (when I think we last met) you used to be full of joy and energy, in a really inspiring way.  These qualities on top of a strong intellect made us friends so proud and even if we were out of touch, you came up in my chats with other folks ever so often. You will be dearly missed "paniya"...

I am shocked and saddened by sudden demise of my batchmate.. Nirni. I still can't believe that smiling face is no more between us. 

we studied together in IIT and I remember him as one bright student in our batch with smiling face and jovial attitude. 

Don't have any more words to describe the loss ..May God Bless his soul and my heart felt condolences with his family and relatives.

Om Shanti.!!!


Authentic, Expressive, Fluid, Original, Thoughtful -- the words that come to my mind when I close my eyes and construct myself in the moments I shared with Nirni. 

Nirni was the only colleague and friend who shared the same native tongue as mine in my department where we both worked. So we always started off yelling across the hallway as "Ki khobor Dada!" "Kemon cholche Dada?" and I had so many chats with him in Bengali and Hindi sharing similar experiences through college and grad school. Nirni bought a piece of 'home' (or 'ghar') to my workplace that otherwise looked a little more 'foreign'. And in the process he lit up that little piece of home with his energy, his compassion, laughter, purpose and kindness. He always had a plan and always rubbed only positive energy to those surrounding him. I will always remember him as the perfect example of a caring friend who knew how to bring a piece of 'home' for the other. Enjoy your new home in peace, dear friend Nirni.

My Heart goes out for Nirni! Even though I have not spent a lot of time with him over the years but I really cherish the bond we had built in the limited time we spent together when he joined school (DPS, Ranchi) in 6th standard. we used to study together and also take tuitions from his dad. This was back in 1996. After that I met him in 2019 at a friends wedding and caught up on the 23 years in like 15 mins. Really can’t stop thinking about it.

I am sure he has had his reasons and it must be really painful to live through that. May god give strength to Family and Friends to come to terms with this Mishap. 



In my doctoral studies in USC I shared  some time with Nirnimesh as my labmate. He made a strong impression in everyone : hardworking, responsable, smart, gentle and kind. 

After I left USC I was often happy for his  multiple acomplishments. He was a real rising star  in the world of Oceanography. He will be missed. 


I studied with Nirnimesh at DPS, Ranchi. This is shocking beyond belief. Though we hadn't been in touch after school, I remember him clearly as this very intelligent guy, who was fun-loving and loved being around friends. My heartfelt condolences to the family. Om Shanti

Hi Monica, 

I was shocked and saddened to hear about Nirni's death. 

I heard so much about you from Nirni when we met in NJ in 2017. It still seems so fresh. 

I still remember the amazing smile he had after the formalities we gone that evening and he mentioned so excitedly about the pup you guys got at that time. 

Words seem inadequate to express the sadness I feel. 

Wishing you hope in the mist of sorrow, comfort in the midst of pain.

Sanket 
+91-9900082373

Will miss you Nirni..Still can’t believe it’s true. Just can’t. We love you.

OBITUARY

Nirnimesh "Nirni" Kumar

July 25, 1984 – August 30, 2020

Butterworth Funeral Home - Arthur A Wright Chapel & Queen Anne Columbarium

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