Department of Biological Sciences Mourns Passing of Professor Emeritus Raj Kilambi

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Professor emeritus Raj Kilambi, 88, of Fayetteville passed away on Thursday, March 25. Kilambi was a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences for 35 years until his retirement in 2001.

Kilambi joined the faculty in the Department of Zoology in 1966 as an assistant professor and was promoted to the rank of professor in 1977. He was a member of the Department of Biological Sciences following the merger of the Departments of Zoology, Microbiology and Botany, where he continued a productive career in teaching and research until his retirement in 2001.

Kilambi received his M.S. degree from the University of British Columbia and his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Washington, and enjoyed an impressive career in the field of fisheries science.

He published numerous refereed publications and presented conference papers in his field. Kilambi also received numerous grants and awards from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Interior and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Additionally, Kilambi was a respected leader in the Northwest Arkansas Indian Community, and he was a founding member of Friends of India, a Registered Student Organization on the U of A campus. 

Kilambi is survived by his wife of 64 years, Jaya, his sons Neal, Navin and Nirmal, and their respective wives, Juanita, Bridget and Cherie. He is also survived by his nine grandchildren and two step-grandchildren. After a private family ceremony, a memorial service is planned at a time to be determined for all who want to attend to pay their respects.