Nirmal Agarwal

We share the sad news of Nirmal Agarwal's passing this weekend. She passed peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by family.

Nirmal was the matriarch of the Agarwal family, with three generations affectionately calling her "Mom." A formidable presence and a woman well ahead of her time, she was among the few women in India to attend and graduate from law school in 1954. She was also an avid socialite and a member of the prestigious Lioness Club, a spirit she carried into the warm and vibrant social life she created for family and friends at the Kamla Nagar house.

In 1997, she moved to the United States, where she continued to be a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her sense of adventure never faded-she delighted in riding roller coasters with the children as they grew up, remained an exceptionally sharp and competitive card player, and served as a trusted confidante who instinctively understood the delicate balance between strength and vulnerability during life's most difficult moments.

We will miss her dearly, yet we take comfort in knowing that so much of who we are today is a reflection of her. We feel fortunate to have known and loved her, and find peace in the thought that she is now reunited with her husband, Hiralal.

From the Agarwal and Gupta families in New York and Dallas.