New York: Lall Kwatra, who left for the heavenly abode this month, was an immigrant from India who arrived during the early 1970s wave — first to Canada before continuing to the United States, where he pursued his doctoral studies at the University of South Carolina (USC).
A civil engineer by training and calling, he devoted 25 years to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, helping shape the infrastructure that keeps this region moving — airports, bridges, and tunnels that millions pass through without ever knowing the careful minds and steady hands behind them, according to his obituary published in Record and Herald News.
“He took pride in work that lasted,” said the report.
After retirement, Lall began again — this time as an entrepreneur —launching Curry King, his pioneering curry sauce brand in the late 1990s. “It was a project that blended heritage, hustle, and his belief that food is one of the most powerful ways people come together,” according to the report.
His love of culture and community also took him to Carnegie Hall, where he produced several concerts for sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar. Notably, from opening his home to young Indian immigrants just starting their journeys in this country, to helping friends and neighbors with taxes, housing, or simply a place to land, Lall treated people with dignity.
“His home in Wyckoff, New Jersey — the home he built and designed himself — became a living reflection of his spirit: a place of welcome. There was always a plate, always a drink, always a story, and always a sense that you belonged,” it added.
Lall is survived by his beloved wife, Pam Kwatra; his son, Neal Kwatra; his daughter-in-law, Katie; and his cherished grandchildren, Anjali, Dev, and Priya.
He leaves a deep and unmatchable legacy. And if he were here to offer one last instruction, it would not be to mourn only—though we will miss him fiercely—but to gather. To eat. To laugh. To raise a glass. And above all, to take care of one another.
