Sad News: Sarita Bhalotra
Nov. 30, 2018
Dear Colleagues,
I am saddened to share the following note from Dean Weil about my former colleague Sarita Bhalotra.
Sincerely,
Lisa Lynch, Provost
Dear Heller Colleagues,
I write this morning to share the sad news that Professor Emerita Sarita Bhalotra passed away on November 26, 2018. Her obituary has been published here.
Sarita’s roots at the Heller School were both broad and deep. Sarita was a physician by training and became an expert in global health, aging, women’s health, health policy and health services research. She started her career at Heller in 1997 as an adjunct lecturer, receiving her PhD from Heller in 1999.
In her many years at Brandeis as a health care researcher and associate professor, she educated hundreds if not thousands of students at every level of the university. She taught in Women and Gender Studies, South Asian Studies, the Social Impact MBA, the MS in Global Health Policy and Management, executive education, and served on many PhD dissertation committees. She was also deeply involved as a leader of the undergraduate program at Heller, serving as associate chair of the HSSP major.
Sarita’s colleagues at Heller remember her as an energetic, intellectually diverse colleague, both as a scholar and a professor. She was especially passionate about her work with students, which spanned undergrads, master’s students, and doctoral candidates. In her nurturing way, she was always available to offer a listening ear, especially to those who didn't feel they had an advocate.
In accordance with Sarita’s wishes, her family is not holding a funeral. However, her family welcomes condolences, stories, photos and anecdotes, which they intend to compile into a book for Sarita’s grandchildren. Messages may be sent to memoriesofsarita@gmail.com or mailed to:
Meera Bhalotra Reynolds
4 Berridge Way
North Reading MA 01864
In lieu of flowers, her family has requested support to the following organizations which were important to Sarita:
- Planned Parenthood
- Gifts of Hope Unlimited
Sincerely,
David
David Weil
Dean and Professor
Heller School for Social Policy and Management
Brandeis University