Jaswinder S. Sidhu
May 13, 1940 — August 3, 2016
Dr. Jaswinder S. Sidhu, a dedicated physician, selfless leader in the Sikh and Indian communities, and, above all, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully on August 3, 2016.
Dr. Sidhu was born in Gilgit, India, on May 13, 1940, to Dr. Kartar Singh and Amar Kaur. In 1963, Dr. Sidhu obtained his medical degree from Amritsar Medical College. A scholar-athlete, Dr. Sidhu earned the 2nd highest grades in his entire state and he was captain of his medical school's cricket team. In 1964, Dr. Sidhu married Satwinder K. Sidhu, and they had their first child, Patwinder, in Chandigarh, India.
The three moved to join Dr. Sidhu's brother, Dr. Rajinder S. Sidhu, and his family, in Montreal. There, Dr. Sidhu completed training at McGill University. He received further training at Grasslands Hospital in New York and the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. In 1972, Dr. Sidhu and his family settled in Maryland, where Dr. Sidhu worked for over forty years as a nephrologist at local hospitals and in private practice. In 1978, Dr. Sidhu's second son, Dawinder, was born in Cheverly, Maryland.
Dr. Sidhu helped build longstanding cultural and religious institutions in the Washington, DC area. For example, he helped found the Guru Nanak Foundation of America (GNFA) and he served as President of the Indian-American Medical Association.
Dr. Sidhu will be remembered not only for what he did: provide for his loving family, treat patients, mentor residents, and help establish community organizations. He also will be remembered for how he lived: with honesty, humility, and integrity. He will be deeply missed, but his impact and his example of a truthful life will live on.
A Funeral Service will take place on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at the Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A., 1411 Annapolis Road, Odenton, MD 21113. The service will be held from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations to the Thakur Singh Scholarship at GNFA be considered. This scholarship, named in honor of Dr. Sidhu's grandfather, offers financial assistance to women pursuing graduate and professional education.