Dr. Ravindra Kumar, MD, 1949 – 2015
HOUSTON: Dr. Ravindra Kumar, M.D., a soft-spoken, dedicated physician who practiced internal medicine from his office in the Memorial City-Spring Branch area for the past two decades, passed away on November 30 after a brief battle with cancer. He was laid to rest at the Winford Funeral Home on Sunday, December 5, 2015.
Kumar was born in Vrindavan, India on January 1, 1949, to Sushila Devi and Surendra Singh Verma. He was second in order to one older brother and four younger sisters. He grew up to become a very dedicated medical student and attended Maulana Azad College, Delhi University, from which he graduated in 1974. He then went on to complete his medical training in New Delhi.
Kumar moved to England where he earned an MRCP (UK), as well as an FRCP (Glasgow) in 1980. He then moved with his family to the Middle East, where he worked as a physician and resided until June 1991. He moved to the United States in June 1991, where he finished an Internal Medicine residency from Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, in The Bronx, New York in 1993. Following this, he moved with his family to Texas, practicing Internal Medicine in Houston. His daughter, Dr. Namita Verma joined him a couple of years ago after she finished her medical training.
Kumar had an intuitive sense of medicine, often being able to understand the root cause of an ailment without the use of many diagnostic tests, which would only confirm his initial assessment. He was dedicated to his patients and would fight for their rights to receive medical treatment, even if it meant taking on the insurance firms and hospital administration. A former patient of his, whom he successfully cured, spoke at his memorial service, of how Dr. Kumar had cured him when other physicians had given him just a few days to live. His daughter, Namita, spoke about how working with her Dad taught her so much, though there were generational differences in practicing medicine. His son-in-law, Shrish, lamented the loss of a kindred soul whom he was able to have long conversations with.
Kumar will be remembered for his humility, generosity, empathy and as a most loving father, grandfather, and pet owner. His hobbies included taking his dog, Louie for long walks and chasing around after his grandson, Niky. He will be remembered everyday by his loving daughter Namita and son-in-law Shrish Satpute as well as two grandsons, Nik and Jay who will forever mourn the loss of a beautiful human being., and his most loving friend and four-legged partner, Louie.