In Memoriam

Gopi Nath Puri (1935-2026)

Gopi Nath Puri was a lover of life, a gentle soul with a strong presence, who passed away at 90 years old on February 4th, 2026. Born in Ludhiana, India, he was an inspiration to his six siblings, as he strived to be the first college graduate in his family. Upon graduating in 1957 with a Mechanical Engineering degree from Delhi University, he received a gold medal from the first Vice President of India for topping the entire Engineering school. He also completed a special diploma in 1958 in Metallurgy from the India Institute of Science Bangalore and attended a rigorous steel program in Russia, which solidified steel as his first love and shaped the rest of his dynamic and fulfilling career. True to his well-rounded and fun-loving nature, he learned Russian and even ice skating during his time in Russia.

After spending 17 years in India’s steel industry, he was invited to be the World Bank’s first international steel expert within the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and moved his family, wife and two children, from India to the US in 1975. It was during this time that he collected the fruits of success from the seeds he had planted early in his career and lived by his motto “never ever give up”. He won four awards, spoke six languages, and traveled to over 80 countries, leaving lasting impacts in the steel industry, while still remembering to collect a souvenir or two for his grandchildren from the time they were born.

Despite his many travels, he made sure to always stay in touch with relatives back in India and fostered deep relationships with his colleagues all over the world, from Denmark to Egypt. He and his wife hosted them in their home when they would visit the US, and when he was traveling, he always made sure to reach out to colleagues to get lunch. Messages from his many colleagues and friends recount vivid and enjoyable memories of spending time with him. To know Gopi was to know his integrity, adherence to values, patience, discipline, humble and brilliant mind, desire to help and mentor his colleagues, and strong expertise he imparted on his clients. He created a strong foundation in steel, and his legacy lives on.

After 25 years at the World Bank, he retired as a Senior Manager, but true to his active and lively nature, he stayed on as a freelance consultant as a steel specialist for the next 14 years. He wanted to live out experiences fully and wouldn’t leave any stone unturned. He said if he had to choose another career, it would be as a teacher, and so he served as a course advisor and lecturer for a project financing course at the International Law Institute, with ties to Georgetown University.

He was passionate about his career, but his greatest love was spending time with his family. He taught them the value of being present for those you love. In fact, when his son was attending college in Canada, he would oftentimes reroute his work trips to stop by and visit him. His grandchildren note how he was always supportive, excitedly accepting every invitation he could to attend their school events, especially grandparents’ days and graduations, arriving with gusto and his signature camera. He was always there, taking his grandchildren to restaurants, playing in the backyard, building forts out of blankets, and sharing his stories from around the world. Somehow, he patiently figured out everything they needed, helping his older granddaughter practice for her driving test or helping his younger granddaughter build a wooden Halloween trick-or-treat box from scratch. He empowered them to follow their dreams, and found great happiness in every one of their successes.

Since his children and grandchildren grew up in the US, he ensured they would not forget their cultural heritage by celebrating not only American holidays, but also Indian holidays with the same care and attention. A true foodie, he frequently tried new restaurants with his family and would have a constant back and forth with his son about footing the bill, which he would win. He loved the simple things in life: long two-mile walks every morning, reading the newspaper, gardening on weekends, playing sudoku, feeding the birds with his signature frisbee-like throw, decorating for the holidays, wrapping gifts, conversing with friends and family through email, meeting up with his friends, and sending cards for birthdays.

One of his most treasured hobbies was documenting his life. Since he got his first camera in his teenage years, he captured pictures of his family and friends and collected them in over 50 albums, including memorabilia like notes from the places he’s been, the articles he’s written, his sons’ art and exam papers, and the letters he wrote to his wife. He also kept meticulous notes of his life experiences and filled out a book of prompts that his son gifted him on his 80th birthday, called “The Story of a Lifetime”, which his family loves reading through. He loved writing and corresponding with family and friends until Parkinson’s Disease, which was diagnosed later in his life, began to progress. He tried his best to thrive in spite of the disease by exercising, going to support groups, and remaining resilient through hospitalizations. He was surrounded by his loved ones when he parted.

Reading his book, “The Story of a Lifetime,” is like re-reading a favorite novel, filled with warmth. Reading his book is hoping there is another page after the last one, but still feeling fulfilled due to the well-lived journey. Amazingly, he made time when there seemingly was none, his disciplined nature making him omnipresent in the lives of those he loved. Gopi drank his life to the lees no matter what life’s circumstances brought. He lived by what his grandfather advised him when he was 5 years old: “live each day as if it is the last day of your life”.

It is difficult to summarize a man who was one of a kind, humble, lively, incredibly intelligent, and ambitious. He seized each day as an opportunity, had so many stories and experiences, and created lasting impressions on those he connected with. Gopi is survived by his wife, Swarn, their two sons Puneet and Vikas and their wives, and three grandchildren Aarushi, Sharvari, and Ishan.

We all miss him dearly, and we hope and pray that his soul has found eternal peace.

Feel free to share a memory of him on his Tribute Wall at the following link: https://www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Gopi-Nath-Puri?obId=47222264#/obituaryInfo

 

Submitted by Puneet Puri