Obituary of Pirshotamdas Udharam Chandiramani

March 19, 1929 – Hyderabad, Sindh, India

January 25, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

It is with deep sadness that the family of Pirshotamdas Udharam Chandiramani, of Calgary, AB, announce his peaceful passing from this world on Sunday, January 25, 2024, at the age of 94 years.

Pishu or Nana, will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 70 years, Sundri, and her family; his daughters, Rekha Black (Tony) and Rani Crawford (Brian); grandchildren, Jenn Black (Kyle Mitchell) and Richard Black (Kristin Sims); and great-grandchildren, Aadi, Nixon, Maia, and Hudson; sister Mohini Lakani (Pahilajrai) and her family, and brother Vashi Chandiramani (Poonam) and his family. Pishu will be missed by his 100+ nieces and nephews, worldwide, and their families. He will also be missed by his many friends at Grand Seton Village and around the world.

Pishu was predeceased by his father Udharam Chandiramani, mother Parpati, brothers, Chandanmal (Vidya), Gopichand (Sheila), Nari (Bina), Lakhi (Asha); and sisters, Mathuri Chandiramani and Jamna Bhojwani (Satramdas).

Pishu was born the third son of nine children in the city of Hyderabad, Sindh, India on March 19, 1929; a location that had been home to his family for generations. The family had a prosperous fabric business with interests in India, Vietnam, Japan, and China. At the age of nine, his family moved to Saigon, Vietnam, there, continuing his schooling. He learned Vietnamese and French, along with his other two Indian languages, Hindhi and Sindhi. In 1940, Japanese troops invaded Vietnam, commandeering his school and he was sent back to India at the age of eleven, on a container ship. This was the beginning of a tumultuous period.

In 1947, India was partitioned into Pakistan and India, and in the terrible violence that followed, Pishu and his family fled from Sindh, arriving in Bombay with few resources. He worked in the family business in both Saigon and Bombay, where he met and married his beloved Sundri at the age of 25. Their first daughter, Rekha, was born in Bombay and their second daughter, Rani, was born in Saigon. As the Vietnam conflict escalated with the arrival of American troops, Pishu and his family fled from Vietnam in 1962 and he struck out on his own business, eventually settling in Algiers. This was a time of stability and comfort for the family, with a strong and social Sindhi community and many trips to nearby Europe.

Failed coup attempts and nationalization of all businesses forced the family to flee from Algiers in 1968 with no more than a suitcase each. Another nomadic search for new opportunities brought the family to Toronto, Canada, in 1970. The family “went West” in 1973, arriving in Calgary at Pishu’s “Maharaja Imports” store on 1^st Street and 10^th Avenue, an old Purdy’s Chocolates location. This business thrived and a second location was opened in the 8^th Avenue Mall, beside the Palace Theatre, in a former candy store. These locations also kept Sundri and both daughters busy until a bout of ill health forced Pishu into retirement.

Retirement did not sit well with a man that had travelled the world building businesses, but Pishu learned to love his garden and especially his roses, and soon grandchildren blessed his spare time. He was always ready to sit on the floor with the little ones and play any game or chase them around the house or yard. Even in his 90s, his favourite place was sitting on the floor with his great-grandchildren, with joy and love apparent on his face.

During his career, Pishu made many trips for business and pleasure through the Caribbean, United States, Philippines, India, China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, Europe, Central America, North Africa, and Canada. His nickname with family was “Mr. National Geographic”, not just because he read and remembered the magazines religiously, but he could also describe many locations in the world with such enthusiasm and accuracy, usually followed with the suggestion that anyone listening join him in a trip there soon or immediately!

Pishu spoke five languages fluently until the last days of his life: Sindhi, Hindhi, Vietnamese, French, and English, with smatterings of Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Tagalog, and could write in Arabic as well. He would often ask people where they came from because he delighted in conversing with them in their language, asking about their home city (which he might well have visited) and their customs and celebrations. He was a welcome Bon Vivant at a party, always arriving with food and libations, and engaging all ages in games and conversations. He enjoyed a cold beer, but somehow it always disappeared through a hole in his glass, by evaporation, or someone sipping from his glass, and a replacement was required.

Pishu loved going to the mountains with an elaborate lunch and hiked the Beehive in Lake Louise, Troll Falls, Cat Creek Falls, and even Grassi Lakes in his 80s.

In 2011, at the spry age of 81, Pishu had the great fortune to accompany both his grandchildren on an extended trip through his homeland of India. This trip will forever be remembered by Jenn and Rich as they travelled like backpackers and had many adventures: dodging larcenous monkeys, pedaling a self-propelled monorail, ordering way too many snacks in a restaurant as an army of servers brought out dish after dish, and spending a night in a tree house.

With the vagaries of fortune and bureaucratic mismanagement, Pishu had many profound challenges in his life, but he always won through and avoided both despair and hatred. He will be much missed.

A Celebration of Pishu's Life will be held at McInnis & Holloway (Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, AB) on Friday, March 15, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. Reception to follow in the Hospitality Centre at the Funeral Home.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Libin Cardiovascular Institute, www.libin.ucalgary.ca. 

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Pishu's family here.

In living memory of Pirshotamdas Chandiramani, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, Ab t2x 3j3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.