Cover photo for Manisha Bhattacharya's Obituary
Manisha Bhattacharya Profile Photo

Manisha Bhattacharya

February 22, 1951 — July 5, 2025

Manisha Bhattacharya

February 22, 1951 — July 5, 2025

Northridge

Beloved wife of Somangsu Bhattacharya; loving mother of Mita, Abhijit, and Jayita, and mother-in-law of Joe, Taissa, and Jeffrey; doting grandmother of Maya, Anjali, Shila, Rajendra, Rishi, and Malaika; caring sister of Manjusha Lahiry; favorite aunt to many nieces and nephews; and cherished daughter of the late Sachindra Nath and late Uma Sanyal. 

Born in Patna, India, on the southern bank of the Ganga River, in the home of her grandparents. Her family moved to many parts of Northeast India, from Shillong to Ranchi to Dehradun, during her childhood. Some of her most precious early childhood memories were from her grandparents’ house in Patna, the house with the mango tree where she sat every day by the side of her grandmother (Mimi), to learn all the daily rituals for puja, a religious practice she continued quietly, seriously, without fanfare, every day of her life. Her family finally settled in Dhakuria, Kolkata, where she spent her teenage years. Despite being fluent in Hindi and some English, she was expected to continue her studies in a new language, Bangla. Undeterred, she became a star student at Chetla Girl’s School, winning awards in that very subject. It was then that her interest in languages and translation grew, as well as her love of theatre and performance. She spearheaded ambitious projects at school. For instance, at the age of 13, she translated and produced a student production of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice in which she also played Portia. She earned her undergraduate degree in Sanskrit from Lady Breborn College in 1969, followed by a Master’s degree in Sanskrit with a specialization in Indian Philosophy from Calcutta University in 1971. After graduation, she took a teaching position at Ashok Hall Higher Secondary School, while also performing in radio plays and independently continuing her Vedic studies. From 1968-1972 she was a founding member of the Sanskrit drama group, Prachya Bani, under the direction of Dr. Roma Choudhury, staging and performing Sanskrit plays throughout India. She married Dr. Somangsu Bhattacharya, then a young doctor in the Indian Army, in 1972. Shortly thereafter, they immigrated to the north of England. She earned her M.Litt from the School of Oriental Studies at University of Durham, and went on to publish her doctoral thesis while in the midst of immigrating once more, this time to Brooklyn, New York, in 1977. She arrived in Brooklyn with her two-year-old daughter. Her son and her second daughter soon followed. In 1982, she moved with her family to Los Angeles, CA, where she soon earned a teaching credential and Masters in Education from California State University, Northridge while raising three young children. This began her long and storied tenure as a fourth grade teacher in LAUSD. From 1986-2014, she taught fourth grade at Vintage Math, Science, and Technology Magnet Elementary School in North Hills. Over the course of her career, she was a teacher to close to 1,000 fourth graders who had unique opportunities to read great literature and partner with NASA, and who all left her classroom knowing how to knit. She was beloved by her students, their families, and colleagues alike.

She treasured long relationships with students’ families, in which all the siblings and even the children of former students came through her class. She was also a mentor teacher, helping to guide new teachers in their profession. For much of her career, she was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society of women educators. Whether student or colleague, everyone was touched by her warmth, compassion, and wisdom. Upon moving to Los Angeles, Manisha also became actively involved in the then-nascent Bengali diaspora community in Southern California. As a founding member of the Valley Bengali Community and early member of the Bengali Association of Southern California, she helped build a lasting vibrant community through organizing religious and cultural events. From plays by Sukumar Ray, to dance dramas by Rabindranath Tagore, Manisha helped give the children of the Bengali community a deep understanding and connection to their Indian heritage, and brought the richness of this heritage to the wider Los Angeles community. Manisha’s deep knowledge of Sanskrit and the Hindu rituals and prayers she learned as a child made her an invaluable resource to the Bengali community. She would organize pujas and celebrations at temples and cultural centers, but also in her own home, which she would open to all. Her passion for literature and her own talent as a writer often shone through the beauty of her translations for these spiritual and personal ceremonies bridging worlds and cultures. 

There is a quote from Rabindranath Tagore, whose writing was a constant inspiration to her: “I slept and dreamt that life was a joy, I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” Manisha embodied this ethos completely in her life and work. A woman of boundless enthusiasm and energy, even at rest she kept herself busy. She drew her energy from helping those around her. Even as she achieved professional excellence, she cared for her aging parents across two continents, while raising her three children. And through it all, she was unflinchingly ready to be of service to every single person she could reach. Even in retirement, she would not rest: choosing to travel the world, read books relentlessly, and devote so much time to her much-beloved grandchildren. When her health declined, she maintained these cherished relationships. She was always ready to play a game of Ludo with her granddaughters (somehow winning every time). Her grandsons will never forget Dimma’s home-made roti – their favorite. She read and recorded stories for her littlest granddaughter across the sea. Whenever there was an opportunity to sneak them a little treat, she took it. And she treasured every moment she got with these children. Manisha passed away on July 5, 2025, in Northridge, CA, following a catastrophic stroke. 

She will always be remembered for her warmth, compassion, and goodness; for her lively wit and ready laugh; for the delicious Bengali cooking she would insist you taste; for the great stories she could tell; for her determination to be a true friend to every person that she met. She will be remembered as a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, auntie, teacher, and friend. As a vibrant woman who always gave of herself with her entire being. 

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 3:00 PM (doors open at 2:45 PM) at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills, Church of the Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Dr., Los Angeles, CA. 90068. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please engage in an act of service in honor of Manisha, or make a donation to a charity of your choice. Manisha did not have a favorite charity, she donated to them all.

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