Bishnu ‘Bill’ Sanwal

On Tuesday, February 28th, 2023, Bishnu ‘Bill’ Sanwal of London, passed away peacefully, at the age of 95.

Bill is survived by his wife Madhu Sanwal; his children Sabra and Anil; and his grandchildren Sejaan, Shivani and Kabir.

Bill was born in Almora, India in May 1927. He grew up, one of seven siblings, in the Himalaya Mountains, where his father was chief forest ranger. He was educated in a boys’ private school in Nainital before moving to New Delhi to get his degree in microbiology. His studies took him to Switzerland, Paris and California before becoming a professor at the University of Manitoba. Bill was lucky to have his wife, Madhu, who he met at the University of Delhi while she was pursuing a degree in science, by his side for all of this. In Manitoba, they welcomed their twins Sabra and Anil, before settling down in London as a family of four, with a quick stop in between at the University of Toronto. In London, Bill served as chair for the department of biochemistry at Western University. Throughout his many years there, he served as a mentor while conducting and leading groundbreaking research in his field. His knowledge and academic efforts had a reach far beyond just the London area. In his personal life, he enjoyed extensive travel, reading about a myriad of subjects and was upheld as a respected member of the London Indian community. He spent almost every holiday with his two children and three grandchildren, with a particular fondness for the dessert portion of every meal, while regaling his family with stories of his fascinating life. His love of nature, photography and music kept him busy throughout his retirement.

A cremation took place on Friday, March 3^rd, 2023. Those wishing to make a donation in memory of Bill are asked to consider the London Health Sciences Foundation.