SURESH BODIWALA
CHICAGO: ArvindbhaiThakkar, community activist and humanitarian, passed away on Thursday March 26, 2020. He was 81 years old and will be remembered for his selfless service to the Lohana community, and a wide range of non-profit organizations (temples, charities, and Non-Governmental Organizations) based in India and Chicago.
Arvindbhai was born on December 3, 1938 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He was genius in his studies and at the age of 5, he had memorized the 12th and 15th Adhyayas from the Geeta. Married to MsIndirabenThakkar they are blessed by three beautiful daughters – Jagruti, Arti, and Shilpa.
Arvindbhai graduated from BVM Engineering College in Gujarat. He completed his Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology. He also helped numerous young Engineers by providing his mentorship.
He was the founding member of many temples in the USA including – ManavSevaMandir, Midwest SwaminarayanMandir, BAPS Mandir, Shree JalaramMandir, GayatriMandir, SwaminarayanMandirVasnaSanstha, and Portland Hindu Temple.
He initiated free health clinics in majority of the Chicagoland temples for seniors and impoverished people without insurance. He started an eye clinic at the Swaminarayan temple in Itasca with free eye check-ups and distribution of eyeglasses.
He started an NGO in India called ‘SahiyaruAbhiyan’ in 2010. Within this NGO he continued his humanitarian cause. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the funeral was held on March 28 in presence of immediate family members only.
