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During her visit to Bombay and her hometown Nagpur earlier this year Suna Kanga’s physical appearance boded that all was not well. The Singapore based freelance travel and lifestyle writer however made light of any show of concern and insisted that she was leading a normal life. Her family and friends were deluded into accepting this. When the end approached and her daughter finally revealed that Kanga had a very short time to live, it came as a devastating shock.
Three years earlier Kanga had been diagnosed as suffering from leukemia. She consulted leading oncologists, but was informed that there was no cure. She then decided to live her life to the fullest without enduring any debilitating treatment, and implored her immediate family to keep her condition secret. On February 15, 2015, Kanga’s health took a sudden turn for the worse and she passed away peacefully in Singapore leaving behind her husband Rusi, daughter Nazneen, son Cyrus and sisters Dolat Kotwal and Shirin Nash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tears of sorrow were transformed into admiration for the remarkable manner in which Kanga had chosen to live the last years of her life: suffering in silence and involving herself with meaningful projects till the very end. In hindsight, it is clear that there was a pattern and purpose in her desire to enjoy as much of life as possible during the short time that remained.
Kanga was born on Shamian Island in Canton, China. During the Japanese occupation, her father, Jall Patel, an exchange broker and president of the Indian Association in Canton, was taken prisoner. Wrongly suspected of being a spy for the British, Jall was tortured and passed away shortly after his release. His young widow Roshan, with her children, endured hard times during World War II. Eventually repatriated on a refugee ship to Madras, they arrived in her hometown, Nagpur. Roshan was sister of the late Khusro Rustamji — the renowned IPS (Indian Police Service) officer who set up the Border Security Force (BSF).
Suna did her schooling and college in Nagpur, completing her BA and a diploma in journalism. Starting her career as associate editor with Onlooker magazine in Bombay, she laid the foundation for her lifelong profession as a writer. Her marriage to Rusi Kanga, a pilot, was the beginning of an extremely compatible and congenial partnership. Starting his career with Indian Airlines and Air India, Rusi relocated the family to Singapore when he joined Singapore Airlines in 1974.
Though expatriate wives were not permitted to work, Suna pursued all possible avenues to further her journalistic passion, reaching the peak of her career during her years in Singapore. She joined the Asian Women’s Welfare Association looking after physically challenged children. As her contacts grew, she became a member of the Singapore Press Club and contributed travel articles to local newspapers. Her foray into travel writing opened up further avenues and she was an active participant of the Singapore Women’s Travel Club and the Chinese Women’s Association.
In 1982, when Suna was granted permanent resident status in Singapore, her travel and lifestyle articles became a regular feature in several reputed local and foreign publications. In Singapore Tatler her monthly column on beautiful homes showcased the lavish lifestyle of wealthy Singaporeans as well as the residences of ambassadors, architects, bankers and professionals. She also contributed to Inside Outside magazine in India.
Travel writing added a new dimension to the Kangas’ lives as they started roving the world on assignments. After retirement Rusi would accompany Suna as her official photographer on cruises, safaris, river rafting, mountain climbing, et al. Her accounts of journeys spanned from Machu Pichu in Peru to the Outback of Australia. She wrote about the Norwegian fjords, and the Falkland Islands; cruises along the rivers Amazon, Nile and Danube; safaris to Masai Mara in Kenya and Kruger Park in South Africa; travels on the Blue Train and Rovos Rail in Africa; river rafting in Nepal; traversing an elevation of 15,000 feet by train to Lhasa in Tibet; and trekking up to Bhutan’s famous Tiger’s Nest temple.
Suna covered the Eco-Challenge adventure races in Cairns, Australia, and Morocco. These are non-stop, 24 hours-a-day races, over a rugged 300-mile course with such disciplines as trekking, white water canoeing, horseback riding, kayaking, camelback riding and mountain biking.
She was commissioned to write Journey through Colombo: A Pictorial Guide to the Gateway of Heavenly Sri Lanka, a lavish coffee-table book highlighting Colombo’s colonial past that harmonizes with an age-old culture.
Her final assignment was for the National Heritage Board of Singapore to author and publish a book on the Parsis of Singapore, covering their history, customs, culture and cuisine. Throughout her illness, Suna stoically worked on this book, completing half the project. In her memory, friends in Singapore have agreed to complete this assignment.
To those who knew and loved Suna, her memory will forever be cherished and her indomitable spirit will remain inspirational.