Surbhi Shah

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Surbhi Praful Shah, a 50-year resident of Columbia, Maryland passed away peacefully in her home on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the age of 81. Surbhi was born November 6, 1943, in Mumbai, India as the youngest of nine (9) brothers and sisters; she often reminded us she was the favorite sibling. Surbhi treasured both her education and friends from the Modern School and Bombay University. She came to the United States upon her marriage to Praful Shah in 1967 where they lived in a small apartment on 16th Street in Washington, DC. While there, she worked for the Indian Embassy.

Several years later, Surbhi and Praful moved to the new town of Columbia, Maryland where they proceeded to have a family and make friends that would last a lifetime. Surbhi lost Praful in September of 2003, but with the support of so many, she continued to be an active participant in the journey of life. Shortly thereafter, her kids were married and grandchildren soon followed, and she never missed an opportunity to spoil those grandkids! The professional community she developed for over 20 years at the John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory was so important to her, she was a proud APL’er.  She was a strong-willed, independent, wife, mother and grandmother who enjoyed nothing more than opening her home up to others.

Surbhi is survived by her older brother Dinesh Daftary, loving sons and daughters-in-law, Asheel Shah/Sejal Shah, Kamil Shah/Ai Shah and three remarkable granddaughters, Malini Sonia, and Akane Shah.