Malti Punwani

Malti R. Punwani February 12, 1954 – July 15, 2018 Malti R. Punwani peacefully departed for her heavenly home on July 15, 2018 in her residence of Tampa, Florida with her husband, sister, son, daughter, and dog by her side. She will be vividly remembered for her beautiful smile, her pure heart of gold, and her passion for life. Malti was born on February 12, 1954 in Bombay, India to Mr. Ghanshyamdas and Mrs. Eshwari Khemani. She married her husband, Ratan Punwani, on October 12, 1979 in Dubai. The couple then migrated to the US to Staten Island, NY in 1980 and had two children – one elder son, Vishal, and daughter, Natasha. She also lived with her sister, Chandra, who stood by her side for 61 years. Malti worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for 10 years in Manhattan. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1990 and fearlessly underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Her journey after surviving cancer was not an easy one and her battles were not like most - and yet she persevered through all of them with positive energy, high spirits, and a laughter that many people were lucky enough to be infected by. She survived for 28 years after her diagnosis, against all odds, as a devout homemaker and loving, peaceful individual. Malti was both the matriarch and the family miracle. Truly trusting in her relationship with God, Malti assuredly knew He protected her and that her journey was written by Him. She never feared future obstacles and dedicated her life to living it fully and simply, assuring happiness in her household. She embraced new experiences with an adventurous and open heart. She was re-diagnosed with a brain tumor in February 2018 and true to her spirit, with the support of her family and friends, utilized her positive attitude as her weapon of combat. She fought until the very end and although she departed from this world early, her time on earth was spent blessing her family with the tools of strength, courage, and appreciation for precious moments spent together. Family and friends are invited to a prayer ceremony, kirtan, and langar to be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 21, 2018 at the Tampa Gurudwara: 15302 Morris Bridge Road, Thonotosassa, FL, 33592. In lieu of flowers, the Punwani family would like to raise funds for brain cancer research (via American Brain Tumor Association) in honor of Malti’s life here: http://hope.abta.org/goto/maltipunwani “If you are with me, Lord! Who can be against me? And if I am with You, how can a difficult day ever come upon me? There is no difficulty, no danger, no problem which You and I cannot handle together!”