Obituary of Shashank S. Nadgauda

Shashank “Sash” Nadgauda passed away peacefully at his Florham Park residence on October 9, 2025 surrounded by his loving family. He was born on January 6,1945 in Pune, India, the youngest son of Shamrao and Shakuntala Nadgauda.

His family instilled the importance of hard work and care for others - traits he carried throughout his entire life. After earning his Bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai, he emigrated to the United States to pursue his graduate studies. He subsequently earned a Master’s degree from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and Science, perhaps even inspiring other family members to find their journey to America. Sash specialized in Chemical Engineering and had a long career focused on renewable energy, starting with various consulting firms and eventually founding his own company, Renova Engineering.

In 1969, Sash met and married the love of his life, his best friend, and devoted partner, Thelma D’Silva. After spending several years in Brooklyn, NY, San Juan, PR, and Boston, MA, the couple eventually settled in Staten Island, NY where they raised their two sons and were active in the community. They then moved to Morristown, NJ in 2011 where he lovingly cared for Thelma during her later years and enjoyed being closer to their grandchildren. 

Predeceased by his wife Thelma in 2015, Sash is survived by his sons Nikhil and Salil, Nikhil's wife Elena and their two children Sofia and Lucas, sister Surekha, and many nieces and nephews.  His parents and his brothers, Arvind and Vasant passed before him.

Sash was an avid reader of the New York Times, enjoyed poker nights with friends and neighbors, and loved to watch soccer. He had strong commitment and dedication to his family and will be affectionately remembered for his stories about life and its meaning, which often started with his signature catchphrase - “Believe in me!”

Visitation will be held on Sunday from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at the S.J. Priola funeral home in Parsippany, NJ. A Puja Funeral Service will take place on Monday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the funeral home, followed by cremation at Rosedale Crematory in Montclair, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sash’s name to the New York Times Communities Fund or to the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and Science.