BOSTON—Suresh Mathur, an Indian classical music champion, flautist, founder of Karnatic Hindustani Music Circle of New England, nuclear physicist and a long-time resident of New Hampshire, passed away on Jan. 2, 2025. He was 94.
Mr. Mathur was the founder of the Karnatak and Hindustani Music Circle-New England (KHMC), and was also an inspiration for the founding of the LearnQuest Academy of Music in Waltham, MA.
“Beginning with informal gatherings of classical music enthusiasts, Dr. Mathur went on to organize numerous Baithak concerts featuring local and visiting Hindustani and Carnatic musicians,” KHMC said on the Facebook page. “These efforts culminated in the founding of KHMC (Karnatak and Hindustani Music Circle), a grassroots nonprofit organization that continues to promote and organize regular performances by students and teachers of Indian music in the New England area.”
Mr. Mathur was a distinguished nuclear physicist and academician at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. He was also an accomplished Hindustani flautist and a passionate advocate for Indian Classical Music.
“Dr. Mathur’s legacy is profound. His passion for music and his tireless efforts to foster a thriving community of musicians and music lovers have left an indelible mark. He will be remembered as a visionary, a mentor, and a devoted supporter of Hindustani and Carnatic music in New England,” said KHMC. “We, at KHMC are greatly indebted to Mathur ji along with the rest of New England music community. KHMC is his brainchild and he worked tirelessly to bridge the genres.”
Mr. Mathur was born in 1930 and was raised in Fatehgarh, India. In 1958, Suresh left India to move to the United States, according to his official obituary.
On his way to the US, he met the love of his life, Padma, who later became his wife of 60 years. In 1966 they welcomed the birth of their “one and only” child, Anuradha. After receiving his PhD in Nuclear Physics from the University of Texas in Austin (go Longhorns!) and working for a few years at Texas Nuclear Corp, he took a job at Lowell Technological Institute (now UMass Lowell) where he worked until his retirement in 1996. He also moved to Manchester, New Hampshire, which he then called home for more than 50 years, according to his official obituary.
After retirement, he focused his time on his two true passions – helping to raise his two grandchildren, Katelyn Radha and John Suresh, and performing and enjoying Indian classical music, according to his obituary.
After his wife Padma died in 2023, Mr. Mathur moved from Manchester to Anu’s home in Auburn, MA where he lived out the rest of his life with his one and only “Beti” (daughter in Hindi). He is survived by his daughter, Anu and her husband John Mullikin, his two grandchildren Katelyn Mullikin and John S. Mullikin, his baby sister Sudha Verma and her daughter, Sushma Verma (Kalhan), his nephew Tarun Sahai, and many cousins and other relatives both in the US and in India, according to the obituary.
A private family funeral service will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the LearnQuest Academy of Music in Waltham, Mass. www.learnquest.org/donate
To order memorial trees in memory of Suresh C. Mathur, please visit our tree store.
To read the official obituary, please click here.
