To honor Oakland University Marketing Professor Mukesh Bhargava, who passed away in late February after a long battle with cancer, his family, friends and colleagues have come together to establish a memorial fund at Oakland University to create a scholarship for promising students of marketing.
The group’s goal is to raise enough money to endow Oakland University’s first scholarship for marketing students in Bhargava’s name.
“We can’t think of a better way to honor our friend and colleague than for the university’s first scholarship for marketing students to be in his name. An endowed scholarship will help marketing students for many years to come,” says Janell Townsend, associate professor, marketing. “We believe there are many who would like to participate in this endeavor, and would very much appreciate any help that can be offered.”
Dr. Gary Russi, president, Oakland University, has generously pledged a 50 percent match for donations up to $20,000. In addition, School of Business Administration Dean Mohan Tanniru has offered to match 50 percent of faculty and staff donations to this fund.
Bhargava was an extremely dedicated professor who considered student learning to be paramount in our role as intellectual leaders. Many influential marketing scholars and successful marketing executives can be counted among his students, colleagues and friends.
He earned his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, and also earned degrees from the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad, Delhi University, and attended St. George's College. Prior to moving to Oakland University with his wife, Ambika, associate professor of Education, Human Development and Child Studies), Bhargava also taught for several years at the University of Alberta and at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), respectively, as well as participating with programs at the University of Business and Technology, Pristina, T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), India, and the Vienna University of Technology.
Throughout his long academic career, Bhargava touched a multitude of lives with his personal approach to teaching. He had a casual style that engaged students in stories, drawing them into the lesson to intrinsically understand the meaning and intent. A master at the art of illustration, he kept things like bobble heads of the Beatles, and a box of straws in his office to demonstrate various concepts…these types of unique approaches helped students feel connected to him, to the point where when he fell ill they started a blog – Thinking of Mukesh -- to express their best wishes. (LINK: http://thinkingofmukesh.blogspot.com/)
“Mukesh was an avid music aficionado who appreciated many different genres and always had an interesting song to share. He will long be remembered for being quick with a seriously corny joke, or to share a jolly rancher,” adds Townsend. “Mukesh was one of those rare souls who was truly content with the life he created, and had a profound love for his family.” His wife Ambika, and their two children, Aditya, and Nandita survive him.
Donations to the fund can be made online at www.oakland.edu/donateou, then:
Click on "Make My Gift Today" button.
Under Gift Information, select Category "School of Business Administration",
Fund "Mukesh Bhargava Memorial Scholarship Fund"
Or by mail to:
Mukesh Bhargava Memorial Scholarship Fund
Oakland University
School of Business Administration
Elliott Hall
Rochester, MI 48309
To honor Oakland University Marketing Professor Mukesh Bhargava, who passed away in late February after a long battle with cancer, his family, friends and colleagues have come together to establish a memorial fund at Oakland University to create a scholarship for promising students of marketing.
The group’s goal is to raise enough money to endow Oakland University’s first scholarship for marketing students in Bhargava’s name.