Triloki Nath (T.N.) Bhargava, 83, of Kent, OH, passed away on Wednesday, January 25, at his home in Kent, in the presence of his family.
T.N. is survived by his wife, Christine; his son, Ashish (Tushti); his daughter, Anjali Deva (Ravi); his son, Ravi (Caroline); his daughter, Tina (Jason Gartland); his son, Anil; and five grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Kusum Bhargava, of Delhi, India.
T.N. was born in Lucknow, India, to Sri Ram and Kailesh Devi Bhargava on August 21, 1933. He completed his Bachelors and Masters degrees at Lucknow University in India, and his Ph.D. at Michigan State University. T.N. married Christine Wilson on March 18, 1975, in Kent. He worked as a professor of mathematics for Kent State University for 34 years. He was on the Kent Free Library Board of Trustees for 20 years, several of which he served as president. He was actively involved with many local organizations, including the Kent Rotary Club (past president), the Kevin Coleman Foundation, the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, the American Heart Association, the Ohio Governor's Council, the Economic Development Board of Portage County, and the KSU Retired Faculty Association. He was awarded many honors including the KSU Presidents Medal, the Public Service Award from the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, and a letter from President Barack Obama in commemoration of his 80th birthday. The third floor of the KSU Mathematics and Computer Science Building is named the "T.N. and Christine Bhargava Floor" in appreciation of their significant contribution to that building.
T.N. was a man known, respected, and valued by many in Kent and around the world. From the day he joined the Kent State University and city of Kent communities in 1962, he sought to bring the world to Kent and to connect Kent to the world. As a professor of statistics, he brought international colleagues to campus to teach and share their cultures, and promoted equity and diversity by reaching out to international faculty and faculty of color to make them feel welcome and help them to succeed. His appreciation for the arts led him to found the India Music Circle and bring notable artists to campus to perform, and to facilitate partnerships between the Fashion School here and those in India.
During their 28 years as the proprietors of Portage Travel Service, he and his wife Christine helped members of the KSU and Kent communities travel to the far reaches of the world. And both an entrepreneur and academic, he worked to unify the city of Kent and Kent State University, encouraging his KSU colleagues and the city organizations he worked with to unite to achieve common goals. T.N. later transformed his travel business into leading and providing international educational opportunities for community members. He was always extremely active with the community. As a member of the Kent Free Library Board of Trustees, he successfully coordinated a levy campaign to expand into a building that is not only beautiful, but also extremely functional and state-of-the-art. He also contributed to the library of Kent's Stanton Middle School, which commemorates his mother, Kailesh, who encouraged him to travel and pursue education. Indeed, increasing access to education and knowledge was embedded throughout many of his interactions with his family, friends, and community.
The contributions described above merely scratch the surface of T.N.'s impact on the world. The 55 years that TN spent in Kent led to a legacy that is a true testament to hope that will last far beyond what many of us can imagine. We wish his soul peace in its eternal journey.
Private funeral services for the family will be on Friday, January 27, arranged by Bissler & Sons Funeral Home. A reception to celebrate TN's life will be held from 2:00-4:00pm on Saturday, January 28, 2017, at the KSU Hotel and Conference Center.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in the memory of T.N. to the Kent Free Library or the Kent State University Foundation. T.N.'s family would cherish favorite memories, stories, or photos of T.N., which can be sent to memoriesoftn@gmail.com.