Dear Editor,
It is with profound sadness that I read of the passing of Mr. David Chanderbali (SN Jan 25). It was only a couple weeks ago that friends in Trinidad were asking about him and a few others. I had not seen or spoken with Mr. Chanderbali for years until your brief news of his passing. He was a warm and generous person, and it was a pleasure to know him, a fellow Berbician, a gentleman, who cared about others. He conducted himself with grace, dignity, and humility.
Chanderbali was a wonderful person known for assisting students, staff, and visitors, very kind and generous. I am disappointed that UG and his close friends did not write a tribute to him. He did make a significant contribution to UG as registrar serving several years implementing far reaching changes. As a devoted Jaganite, he assisted the party behind the scenes and several in the PPP during that long struggle against the dictatorship. I know he was very close with Moses Nagamootoo when the latter was with the PPP. I have not seen a tribute from Moses on his pal. He was not involved in politics or political struggle. But he offered encouragement and support to those of us in New York committed to the struggle for the restoration of democracy. And whenever we met, he showered accolades for our courage to stand up to the authoritarian rulers, our protests, and strong anti-dictatorship views expressed in the media.
He was also helpful to me and to friends involved in political struggle. I am grateful for all the assistance he rendered during visits to UG during my academic research, opinion polling especially in recruiting student interviewers, and giving me lifts in the East Coast area and to socialize with friends (Berbicians) who relocated to greater Georgetown. He once drove me to a PPP Congress over two decades ago to the countryside of Bath. He was a regular shopper at Mon Repos market on weekends and vendors there would have missed him since his migration to Florida over a decade ago.
Chanderbali commanded a great deal of respect on UG campus and among those he came into contact. As registrar, he oversaw the collection and maintenance of academic records and enrollment data as well as classroom activities. He was known for his devotion to his family and to UG. He had deep knowledge of operations of the university and of registrar matters. He led the registrar’s office with wisdom amidst formidable challenges. He improved services tremendously. He loved students and did everything he could to help them. Those who know or remember him said he served UG with remarkable skill, dedication, and leadership. He found creative ways to get his work done and to do a better job of serving faculty and students.
I have deep gratitude for all he has done for me and I am certain alumni of UG feel the same. My condolences to his family. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by those who knew him.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram
