Ramakrishnan Koundinya's Obituary
Ramakrishnan Koundinya
September 18, 1937 – May 27, 2026
With deep love and sadness, we announce the passing of Ramakrishnan (Rama) Koundinya, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother, who passed away on May 27, 2026, at the age of 88.
He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family. We are heartbroken by this loss, but deeply grateful for the love, guidance, and memories he gave us throughout his life.
Rama lived a full and accomplished life, shaped by a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. He earned his MS in Industrial Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and later received his MBA and PhD from the New York University Stern School of Business. He devoted his professional life to teaching, mentoring, and inspiring students from around the world as a respected university professor. He found deep fulfillment in helping students grow, and many were profoundly influenced by his wisdom, encouragement, and guidance.
Rama advanced research in finance and decision sciences, including early work applying neural network models to corporate bankruptcy prediction and financial risk analysis. His scholarship reflected a rare combination of financial expertise and interest in emerging artificial intelligence methods, long before such approaches became mainstream.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Rama was a lifelong scholar of Sanskrit, Ayurveda, Indian theology, history, and philosophy. He approached these pursuits with curiosity and reverence, always seeking knowledge, wisdom, and a deeper understanding of life.
While his academic accomplishments were many, his greatest pride was always his family. He was a devoted husband to Chandrika Koundinya and a loving father to Sankar, Gayathri (Gigi), and Priya. He warmly welcomed their partners, Laura, Bharat and Tony, into the family. He was a cherished grandfather to Phebe, Lila, Naveen, Oliver, Sameer, and Daya, all of whom brought him immense joy and pride.
Rama will be remembered for his sharp mind, strong principles, and the impact he had on his family, students, colleagues, and friends. His life reflected hard work, learning, resilience, and a deep commitment to the people and ideas that mattered most to him.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 29, 2026, at 1:30 PM at Trinity Memorial Gardens, 12609 Memorial Drive, Trinity, Florida 34655.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you honor Rama’s memory through a donation to his Alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business: https://givenow.cmu.edu/campaigns/42970/donations/new?a=7663781
Om Shanti
The service may be viewed live by accessing the following link: https://together.oneroomstreaming.com/G5M6E5. A recording will be available for 30 days following the service.
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