Ram Sawrup Puri passed away this week at the grand old age of 101-years-old!
By R. Paul Dhillon
RICHMOND – One of the oldest living Indo-Canadians passed away this week at the grand old age of 101-years-old. Ram Sawrup Puri passed away on Monday after a very long life.
The LINK profiled Puri in our 2012 new year’s edition when Puri had celebrated his 100th birthday on January 1st or New Year’s Day.
This New Year’s Day will be even more special for Ram Sawrup Puri of Richmond who will mark his 100th birthday on this God’s great earth and after 100 years of living, Puri still finds life beautiful.
Born on January 1, 1912 in a village near the town of Barnala in Punjab, India, Puri moved to Canada in 1981, a decade after retiring from his job as an executive engineer with India’s Ministry of Transportation and Highway, a job that allowed Puri and his family move around India and see all the different parts of the country.
Puri and his wife were sponsored to Canada by his daughter Rekha Khosla and her husband Ashok Khosla and Puri has lived in Richmond with his daughter and son-in-law ever since. His wife passed away in 1982 but Puri remained active in Canada, volunteering and helping people with pension and passport applications.
According to Rekha Khosla, her father was still enjoying life, able to walk on his own and interact with the family but an accident in 2000 has slowed him down a little.
Asked what is his secret to a long and healthy life – Puri, who still had vibrant, shining skin, told the LINK in December 2011 that yoga and regular walks are the best exercise for both mental and physical strength. He said at the time that those have been the keys to his long life and also perhaps genetics and a strict vegetarian diet.
Puri’s mantra was to take life one day at a time and enjoy his time with family, which includes seven grandchildren.
Funeral services for Ram Swarup Puri will be held this Saturday (March 30) at 9 am at the Fiver Rivers Funeral Home located at 7410 Hopcott Rd in North Delta-Ladner.
