Mahadeo “Kit” Rupsingh (1944-2009)
It is with deep sadness that we learn of the passing of Mahadeo Rupsingh (Class of 1962). Mahadeo, formerly of Nigg, passed away on Sunday April 5, 2009 at 12.40pm in Florida after a brave struggle with cancer. His family and siblings were by his side.
Funeral Service:
Date: April 7, 2009
Time: 9.00AM – 12.00 Noon
Funeral Home:
Woodlawn Memoriam Funeral Home
400 Woodlawn Cemetery Rd
Gotha, Florida 34734
Tel: 407-293-1361
CHS-JCCSS Alumni extend deepest sympathies to Kit’s wife Shahidah and son; and his siblings: Seenauth (Reds), Chandra (dec’d), Anjanie, Devika, Pertab (Sunny), Adithia, Savitri and Savita. The Rupsingh family is formerly of Nigg, Corentyne.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Kit was in the same class as Paris Singh, Mahendra Deonarine, and Beauty. He was a lot older than I but I do remember him very well while he was still living with his parents in Nigg. I remember him as a quiet young man and an absolute gentleman. His mom and mine were good friends as I recall. His younger siblings called him “Kit Dada”.
I extend deepest sympathy to Kit’s family and the Rupsinghs and all his relatives who love him so dearly, many of whom attended CHS.
April 6th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
The message posted on the passing of Mahadeo Rupsingh took me by surprise. I had to read the obit twice to digest the sad news. Immediately, I phoned a few of my friends with the despondent news, and, as if it were only yesterday we began reminiscing on how we perceive Mahadeo Rupsingh during our High School days.
Silo Tiwari said she remembers him quite vividly sitting at the back of the classroom, and always so quiet. Enid Bickram said he was tall , slender and very shy. Rukmini Lakhan said she taught with him and Joseph Anamayah at Albion Estate, and he was an absolute gentleman . It is hard to believe he is gone.
It is extremely sorrowful to lose another one of our CHS form mates. I have not seen Mahadeo after we have graduated and went our separate ways, but names of our form mates do come up in conversations, making it easy to remember. In fact, we were trying to locate him to attend the last CHS reunion held in NY on Aug.2008., but without success.
Today, we found him through an obit on the CHS website, not to share glimpses of our life, but to bid him farewell.
In the reflection of our lives in this time of sorrow, Mahadeo will always be remembered for his trademark traits, soft spoken , very mannerly, a gentleman in every sense of the word ,though regretfully shy, nothing will change the fact that he was our CHS form mate.
On behalf of the graduating class of 1962, I extend deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to all of the Rupsingh family. May you find it comforting to know that The CHS-JCCSS Alumni care.
To a beloved classmate, may your soul rest in peace, as you will be going to a place where there is no more sorrow , no more pain.
I am planning to attend his funeral service tomorrow .
Beauty.
April 7th, 2009 at 4:25 am
On behalf of the older staff members I extend our condolences to the Rupsingh family and endorse the noblel sentiments so eloquently articulated by Rishi and Beauty.
April 7th, 2009 at 7:59 am
I arose this morning with deep sadness and inward reflection on learning of the passing of my friend “Kit’. We never took lunch to school.We all rode as a group on the back street through Williamsburg, Hampshire, and Belvedere to our homes for lunch. I can remember waiting at our bachgate for “Kit” and his brother “Reds” for our return to school after lunch.
“Kit” was quiet,articulate, and a true friend to me. He used to visit and we would sit on our verandah and indulge in discussion about school work. Sometimes,I would reciprocate by doing the same as his house . Kit was an avid student of Latin and English Literature.
We all played cricket for Maple Leaf Cricket Club of Belvedere, and all our fathers would come to see us play on Sundays. His brother,”Reds” was a fearsome legbreak bowler.We even played here at Van Cortland Park in the Bronx,New York.
My sincere condolence to all in his family at his passing.
April 7th, 2009 at 8:12 am
My love and sympathies are with the Rupsingh family at this time.
Savita (class of 75) has been a dear friend since high school and I have had the great honour of knowing this family over the years.
RIP Kit !
April 7th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Kit Rupsingh is my Dad’s nephew, we grew up at Nigg opposite one another and I can vividly remember him going to my grandmother’s house because we were next door to my grandmother. We used to call him Kitsingh Dada, he was very a quiet and a gentle person.
My heartfelt condolence to all of my cousins.
Cousin Kit may your soul rest in peace.
Prem
April 7th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I love to summarize reflections of love and appreciation. It was an early day today(T/TR) at home at 6:30 pm.
TODAY IS A DAY OF GRIEF FOR ME SINCE WE SHOULD CRY FOR OUR FRIENDS AND CHERISH OUR MEMORIES TOGETHER!
PREM:: You have it correct>>>Kitsingh was his real pseudonym and his family was vivaciously fabulous!
PROMISE:I shall visit his brother “Reds” in Queens Village so that we can cry together for a humble and enchanting brother and friend!
Bless all of you!
April 7th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Paul, based on what I hear, it was an emotional day for all who attended Kit’s funeral today. Beauty and Esther (Appalsamy) Munnilal represented the CHS-JCCSS Alumni.
April 7th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Our deepest condolences and sympathy to the Rupsingh family on the passing away of Kit. I knew Kit and other family members very well although he was one class lower than myself at CHS.
In the mid 1960’s, myself and Kit used to work together in the Civil Service in New Amsterdam. He used to be with the Judicial Court and I was at the the Customs Department. Many a times, we had travelled together in the same motor car to and from New Amsterdam. He was rather quiet but a very well respected individual. Sometimes, he will engaged in our discussions about cricket as he was was quite a enthusiast and played the game very well in the Albion area.
I last saw Kit twice in Toronto a few years ago. The first instance was when his sister, Chandra, my classmate at CHS, had passed away suddenly. Not long afterwards, his father also passed away which was the last time I saw him.
Kit’s absence will be sady missed by his family and the CHS-JCCSS Alumni. May God bless his soul.
Syd
April 7th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
The Rupsinghs are a well-know and respected family from Nigg. I share their grief today as they lay to rest a loved one and a hero of CHS.
April 8th, 2009 at 6:36 am
Rishi asked that I do a follow up comment to the Obit on Mahadeo Rupsingh.
Yesterday, April 7, 2009 I attended the funeral service and cremation of a former classmate, Mahadeo “Kit” Rupsingh. Besides the siblings, the four other CHS grads there that I was aware of, were Esther (Appalsammy) & husband Charlie Munilall, Seelal Bandoo, his wife Runika(Lakhan), and myself. I have never thought, beyond my wildest dreams, that I would attend the funeral service of one of my High School classmates, Mahadeo Rupsingh. As I have previously stated I was trying to locate him and to no avail.
So close and yet so far away, the cemetery/crematory where he was cremated is just five minutes away from my work place,here in Florida. And, moreso, I was told that he was in a nursing home easily accessible, yet no CHS classmates knew or visited him.
I was also told that he never talked about his High School days to his family. He seldom kept in touch with his High school form mates and apparently, they too, did not find the time to keep in touch with him. Seemingly, a melancholy and cumbersome feeling, but it does entreat us to ponder a little more on our own attitude, and perhaps in our hearts be able to make the time and reach out to other needy grads.
Kamie reminds us of the quote on the home page by Cicero’s De Amicitia , “sharing adversity, lessens its burden.” A great thought, and in my opinion, is subjected to impermanence, perhaps bereft of intention with an almost unrealistic expectation—conclusive after attending Rupsingh’s funeral and listened to the story of his terminal illness.To Cicero, it is easier said than done—-
The family was extremely happy to have representation from a former classmate and on behalf of the CHS-JCCSS Alumni.
This is the first time I was attending the funeral of a form mate, and I have not seen Rupsingh in decades. So, in reverence , I sat and watched the overhead sliding pictures of some of his happy days. The testimonies that follow on his life were very touching and intermingled with heart rending Indian songs, they were songs for the deceased as explained. The music resonated throughout the room and touched the heart with mixed emotions. It was very difficult to rein in the feelings “in memory of” and compulsively, the tears started streaming.
Kamie, you made mention of the “spectrum of human emotions” so openly expressed. One has to be there, and at that moment to comprehend the inner reflexion or “satori” that propelled a personal display of such emotions.
I got up and went to the back of the room. There was such prevalence of sadness, so much grief to reminisce on his life and conjuring up images of him in the classroom at CHS.
After a three hour service, Mahadeo Rupsingh was cremated . One of our own has gone to rest in peace.
Afterwards, I was able to spend some quality time with the bereaved brothers and sisters. Before I left, I gave them a list of the 1962 CHS graduates highlighting their brother’s name Mahadeo Rupsingh with a copy of the website obit.
Beauty
April 8th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
My family extend our heartfelt sympathy to the Rupsingh family. We are like extended family. It is so sad that, like his eldest sister, he died so young. I remember him as being shy and staying in his room when his sisters’ friends invaded their home.
Babs
April 19th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
On behalf of the Rupsingh family I would like to thank all of you for your wonderful words on my brother Kit.
He was truly a kind and admirable individual and we are all blessed to have had him as a brother in our lives. We are proud of him for the way he lived his life and the courage, determination and dignity in which he fought his battle to the end of his life.
We will dearly miss his absence in our lives.
Thank you all!
Savitri Parbhu (Rupsingh)
April 19th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Savitri!!!Bless you for being thankful for our involvement in your bereavement for our brother ,”Kit” (as I Know him.)
Tell all in your family that Hykil grieves for your brother as his brother also.
Please,all of us have to accept our mortality and heal in memory of our beloved!
Bless you All!!!