Viswasundara Rao Kunduri passed away peacefully on March 21st 2022 at the MacKenzie health hospital in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Beloved husband of Lakshmi for 49 years, loving father of Dutt and Hari (Lisa), he was predeceased by his sister Subba Lakshmi and brothers Narayana Murthy and Kamaraju. Viswasundara Rao will be missed by his brothers’ sons Surya Dutt (Sudha), Sri Ram (Mandira), and Rajeswara Dutt (Padma), and by his sister in law Rajeswari garu, his two brothers in law Viswanath (Satya), Krishna Meher (Prasanna). He will always be remembered by his nephews Venkateswara Rao, Surya Dutt, Rama Rao and by his nieces Subba lakshmi, Annapurna, Lalita, Siddhi. He had a very special bond with his brothers’ daughters Ratna, Subhadra, Madhavi, Jyoti and Tulasi Jyosna. His watchful presence will be missed by all of them dearly.
Dr. Viswasundara Rao Kunduri, affectionately known to many of his friends by the initials K.V., was born in India where he attended McLaurin High School in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh and went on to complete an undergraduate degree at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam. He later came to Canada as a graduate student in 1967. He married Lakshmi in 1972 and started his new life in Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland, a place he always fondly remembered in his heart. He particularly held in the highest regard his scientific mentor Professor Ernie Deutsch. KV’s research field was geophysics, focusing on paleomagnetism, the study of the record of the Earth’s magnetic field stored in rocks. He was a prolific scientist with many research articles, including two publications in Nature, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals. After completing two postdoctoral positions at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and Laval University (Quebec City) from 1978-1981, he accepted a professorship at the Haileybury School of Mines, in the town of Haileybury, Ontario, where he would teach geophysics and mathematics for nearly 30 years. KV enjoyed teaching tough material and was popular amongst his students, who responded well to his passion for these subjects. He turned his formidable mind to applied geophysics, mining, and prospecting, and helped many students find good careers in mining. He made many close friendships in HSM, volunteering his time with the school’s hockey’s team, the HSM Miners, and organizing many workshops. He also acted as a geophysical advisor for a CIDA project at the Zimbabwe School of Mines.
Dr. Kunduri was a man of few words, a deeply responsible man of duty, discipline, and service, and a devout Hindu who rarely spoke of his faith. Family was his main concern. Despite his small stature and a permanent limp caused by a severe bout of polio as a boy, he stood tall under the burden of being a father and provider, far away from any extended family. He was quietly proud of Canada, the country that gave him an opportunity to achieve so much, and his many contributions leave his adopted home a better place. He will be dearly missed by his family members and many friends. Rest in peace, it is well earned.
Details of the Memorial service will be given at a later date. Donations in his memory made to the Canadian Cancer Society, CNIB, the Canadian Red Cross and the Haileybury Museum will be much appreciated by the family.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Viswasundara Rao Kunduri Monday March 21st 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Richmond-Hill, Province: Ontario
Dear Lakshmi, Dutt, Hari and Lisa,
My sincere condolences to you all on the loss of your loved one. KV will always be in our hearts. He was a gentle and kind soul with a smile for everyone and we will sorely miss his presence.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Bipasha