04/08/2026
Papa the Great
8 January 1939 – 3 August 2026
Papa, you always said you were going to live until you were 120. 😢
As a diplomat, you showed us the world — so many countries, cultures, languages, all because of the life your career gave us. You never stopped learning. You taught yourself new languages and new scripts simply because you loved to learn. Your love for the Bhagavad Gita ran deep, you found such joy studying it and sharing its wisdom with others.
There are so many memories, more than I could ever put into words. These are just a few that make me smile. They might seem ordinary to others, but to me they capture exactly who you were.
You told me not to be scared of history, it was just a story with a “hi” attached to it. You’d sound out restaurant so I’d remember how to spell it. I still hear your voice every time I write that word.
You taught me how to do a headstand. Your jokes were terrible, but somehow they were always funny, because you were the one telling them.
You were one of the most intelligent, self-taught, self-made men I’ve ever known.
I’m so grateful I got to see you happy and celebrating just a few weeks ago.
Thank you for everything, Papa. I will carry you with me always.
And thank you for singing and dedicating that song for me a couple of weeks ago. I love you.
Your Gugo Chunno Munno.
PS to my students: All classes are cancelled for now. I’ll be extending everyone’s passes, but I’m doing this manually so it may take me some time to get to each one — thank you for your patience while I do.
