In Loving Memory of Chanderkanta “Kanta” Lamba. Passed away September 30, 2026

With profound sadness and deep love, we announce the passing of Chanderkanta Lamba, known by her preferred name, Kanta. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and a spirited presence in the communities she called home.

Kanta was born in Bahadurgarh, Haryana, India, into an aristocratic Zaildaar family, to Shri Dilip Singh Rathee and Smt Angrez Kaur Rathee. She grew up with her older brother Hoshiyaar Singh, younger brother Kuldeep Singh, older sister Shanti, and younger sister Chandermukhi. Chandermukhi, who lives in Sydney, Australia, is her only surviving sibling.

Education and independence shaped Kanta’s life. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Sociology, from Rohtak University in Haryana. On November 17, 1972, she married Ishwar Singh Lamba and moved to Bombay, where she completed a Bachelor of Education and worked as a lecturer at Airport Junior College. She later earned an LLB and practised law while raising her two children, Ruchi, born in December 1976, and Rochak, born in January 1981.

A staunch feminist in the 1970s, Kanta lived by her own convictions. She chose not to wear sindoor and a mangalsutra daily and wore her hair short. These decisions challenged the expectations placed on women at the time. Her independence was expressed through the choices she made about her education, career, appearance, and identity.

In 1988, Kanta and her family moved to Sydney, Australia. After passing a public service examination, she joined the Medical Records and Coding department at Concord Veterans Hospital, beginning another chapter in a working life that spanned education, law, and healthcare.

Alongside her career, Kanta devoted herself to community and cultural life. She founded the Australian Indian Hindu Council, served as President of Arya Samaj in Sydney, and was an active committee member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. She organised cultural programmes at local Indian temples and encouraged children to step onto the stage, helping younger generations connect with their heritage through performance.

A proud Haryanvi, she brought humour and warmth to Jat Samaj community events as an emcee, reciting Haryanvi poetry, telling jokes, and singing folk songs. Her love of language extended into her home, where she firmly insisted that Ruchi and Rochak speak Hindi. Both remain fluent today. This is a lasting gift of her discipline and determination to preserve their roots.

In 2013, Kanta and Ishwar moved to Orange County, California, to be close to their daughter and her family.

Her later years brought immense physical challenges. She underwent kidney dialysis for seven years and lived with end-stage renal disease, heart failure, severe respiratory illness, and diabetes. In 2026 alone, she endured more than thirteen hospitalisations. There were painful, sleepless nights and increasing limitations on her mobility, requiring walkers and a wheelchair. Yet she remained a fighter to the core - smiling, rallying, and returning home after setbacks time and again.

Kanta is survived by her husband, Ishwar Singh Lamba; her daughter, Ruchi Lamba, and grandchildren Naman and Manika; her son, Rochak Lamba, daughter-in-law Sneha, and grandchildren Ishaan and Myra; and her sister, Chandermukhi.

She leaves a legacy of courage, education, cultural pride, and a woman’s right to define her own life. Her voice, her humour, her resolve, and her presence will be sorely missed by her family and all who knew her.

May her soul find eternal peace.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.