Rakesh Chopra Curzon 1958-63) passed on at Delhi on 29th March 2025.
PRAYER MEET
Rear Admiral Rakesh (ROCKY) Chopra VSM (RETD).
Sep 27, 1948 – March 29, 2025
Celebrating a distinguished service career and a life well lived
Remembrance To Be Held On
April 2, 2025 Wednesday | 3:30 pm
Venue:
Chinmaya Mission
89, Lodi Road, New Delhi
—•—
Marilyn I Vikram-Noopur I Varun
RSVP: 99719 72221; 9820238515
FROM VIJAY KHURANA :
While I put up details on the WhatsApp Group,” Young but Once” for those who did not possess this information, Rocky was admitted with acute COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), diabetes and he had had a stent inserted a few years ago. The medical condition was, when he was admitted, bleak and in the previous few days at home he had been indolent, sleeping most the time and ignoring meals or any other activity. The family then admitted him to the Army Hospital Research and Referral on Sunday March 23, 2025. He was taken directly to the ICU given his precarious condition.Rocky’s cremation took place yesterday, March 30, 20225 at the Lodhi electric crematorium with arrangements being made by the Indian Navy.
A prayer meeting for Rocky will be held onWednesday, April 2, 2025 at the Chinmaya Mission on Lodhi Road at 3:30PM. Details in the attachment to this mail
Several of you have sent comments and condolence messages over WhatsApp or separate mails. You may like to place them on this trailing page.
On a personal note, Rocky was a second generation naval officer. His father Devender Chopra was a Captain in the Indian Navy, his mother, Kamala, passed away early. For a while Rocky was the only child and developed his skills at being adept at making friends offering a lively disposition. He was never heavily academically inclined, though he did well in School (Curzon, 1958-1963), but that scholarly attribute of character made itself obvious in the years to come. He collected a PhD, became an academic and that was a side he rarely exhibited with any kind of abandon. His vast knowledge he never flourished except to his students in the class room. It earned him great admiration and respect. In any discussion, Rocky preferred to listen and when he did offer a view point, it was supported by hard core information and indisputable facts. He was dead sure when he did offer a comment!!
Rocky was scheduled to spend four months in Taiwan collecting material about a book that he was planning to write on the politics of the South China Sea !! That is no ordinary subject in today’s political context.
We all knew Rocky as an affable, lively soul which is an enduring memory. However, he was also a very private man and you never got deep down into the recesses of his personality or his mind. Some things and important aspects of his life he kept to himself !! That private side he never offered to anyone. Often the butt of jokes, he accepted them with a smile and a gentle flick! He left us with a persona that he would like us remember – Jovial, Happy and Very Friendly.
Good bye, Dearest Friend. We will miss you when next we raise our glasses!!
Warmly
Vijay Khurana