We created a GatheringUs memorial to celebrate the life of Dr. Asha Seth Kapadia. Collecting your stories and memories here will offer us great comfort. Click on the heart to let us know you were here and to receive email updates. Thank you for contributing to this lasting memorial.
OBITUARY
Dr. Asha Seth Kapadia passed away on August 13, 2021 at the age of 83. She resided in Houston, Texas. Dr. Kapadia is survived by her beloved son, Dev Kapadia, who meant the world to her. They had a unique and beautiful bond. She is also survived by Dev’s wife Sonia Sharma and their children Karina and Brij who live in New York.Dr. Kapadia was born in Lahore in pre-partition India. Family meant everything to her and she supported her... see more
Dr. Asha Seth Kapadia passed away on August 13, 2021 at the age of 83. She resided in Houston, Texas. Dr. Kapadia is survived by her beloved son, Dev Kapadia, who meant the world to her. They had a unique and beautiful bond. She is also survived by Dev’s wife Sonia Sharma and their children Karina and Brij who live in New York.
Dr. Kapadia was born in Lahore in pre-partition India. Family meant everything to her and she supported her family in every possible way. Her parents Dr. Dev Raj and Sushila Seth had five daughters. Her sisters Shobha Wenger and Suvita Luthra passed away and she is survived by her two sisters Dr. Mira Seth and Gita Verma in India and many nieces and nephews. She loved spending time with family and friends and traveling around the globe.
Dr. Kapadia was a Professor Emerita of Biostatistics at the University of Texas School of Public Health. In 1963, she won a Scholarship, the only one offered that year, from the Government of India to come to the United States. Dr. Kapadia completed graduate studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was one of the first women to graduate from the business school. She also received a Ph.D. in Statistics from Harvard University. During her illustrious and distinguished career, she earned numerous awards and honors. She co-authored several books and participated in many research projects.
Dr. Kapadia loved tennis and politics and was a strong supporter of women’s rights and an advocate for the power of education. She was a role model and an inspiration to many young women. Always one to think of others, she supported many causes and charities and served on several philanthropic boards.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The University of Texas Health Science Center at https://giving.uth.edu/memorial and select “Dr. Asha Seth Kapadia Memorial Fund” under “Designation.”
I will miss Asha, and I would like to share one story that highlights her humanity and kindness. In 2015, a Rice University student from China was wrongfully accused by a professor of academic dishonesty and it became my job to lead the... moreI will miss Asha, and I would like to share one story that highlights her humanity and kindness. In 2015, a Rice University student from China was wrongfully accused by a professor of academic dishonesty and it became my job to lead the ultimately-successful effort of clearing the student's name via an appeal to President Leebron. Asha undertook to know the student and then supported our effort including by explaining to President Leebron in detail how the errors made by Rice's professor and its Honors Council arose from a lack of context grounded in a lack of understanding of Asian academic culture. Asha's background, having herself successfully navigated Asian academic culture coupled with her success at MIT and Harvard and as an adjunct professor at Rice, and her clearly-written letter, helped convince President Leebron that Rice had erred and also that we had world-class witnesses ready to prove it. It is trite (if sometimes true) to say that the world is better because of someone's presence. In Asha's case, aside from the many students and colleagues she no doubt helped, it is absolutely certain that one brilliant Rice alum's life is better because Asha stepped up when asked. less