Ajay Kumar Bhargava

Mr. Ajay Kumar Bhargava was born October 10, 1938 in Agra, India. Ajay was the 7th of 9 siblings. He was a part of a large family of many cousins who grew up together as one tight-knit family. He lived in Delhi for a large part of his life. Ajay AKA “Hippo” was a sharp, driven, and artistically talented man. He was an enthusiast in athletics—sports captain at his school, and was involved in track, soccer, field hockey, and tennis. He was a terrific painter—always finding beauty in everything the world had to offer. He often sent customized, hand drawn birthday cards to close friends and family for years. Ajay did his schooling at St. Columbus in Delhi and studied mechanical engineering from Dayalbagh in Agra. He was an engineer first, always looking for how things worked—taking them apart, and putting them back together, better than before. A forever charmer and fiercely driven, he recruited a vast army of his sisters to woo his future wife, Sushma. After seeing her just once at an event, he decided she was the one he wanted to marry! He had his sisters befriend Sushma, make continuous phone calls, talk him up, got his future father-in-law impressed with his writing, and finally Sushma relented. In his early career, Ajay worked at Duncan’s Tea Gardens in Assam where he and his young wife had several great years surrounded by wildlife, exquisite food, and close friends. As a devoted son, he left his cushy job to be closer to his aging parents. His dream was to be a pilot and he got into the Air Force, but he did not accept because his parents were worried for his safety. Later, for most of his career, he worked at the Lohia Group in Kanpur managing CNC production machines. There, while he managed the factory, he never shied away from rolling up his sleeves or inviting the workers to his home at any hour of the day. His job also came with the benefit of traveling the world; his favorite being Germany. In 2014, Ajay and his wife moved in with his son Abhinav and daughter-in-law Pooja to help out with their 3 young kids. Ajay had many passionate endeavors and sidequests; he wanted to work part-time at Menards to keep busy and pursue his passion for woodworking and tools. To which his grandson Arnav immediately said "Absolutely not, Dadu! You’re not working anywhere”. He always was a handy man though! Ajay always had a project to keep him busy, he was so handy that he created bookshelves, storage for the garage, repaired appliances that other people had given up on, and an endless list of projects around the house. Ajay also had a green thumb. Every year he would plant a plethora of seeds of fruits and vegetables for them to be ready to eat in the Spring/Summer time. He showed the grandkids how to prepare the soil, water the plants, and take care of them in order for them to flourish. He planted cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and the biggest Lauki you have ever seen! All his family and friends know Ajay as a vibrant, warm, and loving human being. He is survived by his wife Sushma, son Abhinav, daughter in-law Pooja, daughter Vanibha, son in-law Kingshuk, and three lovely grandkids Arnav, Ankisha, and Prisha. Ajay will be dearly missed and will forever live in all the wonderful memories we were lucky enough to share with him over the years. Puja Service will take place Tuesday, October 21st, 10:30am at McCauley-Sullivan Funeral Home 530 W. Boughton Rd. Bolingbrook, IL. 60440. Visitation will take place after Puja Service 11:00am-12:00pm. Livestream Link : https://livestream.funeralscreen.com/mccauley-sullivan/ajay-kumar-bhargava/

Ajay Kumar Bhargava

October 10, 1938 - October 16, 2025