Obituary of Mittagunta Ramiah

Mittagunta Venkatraman Ramiah passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 27, 2023 in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. Ramiah was the beloved husband of Kanaka Ramiah and the dear father of Sriram Ramiah (Kavita) and Roopa Ramiah. He was the doting grandfather to Shalini and Amisha. Ramiah is survived by his sister Chandra Balakrishnan and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents and 10 siblings. Ramiah was born on June 24, 1935 in New Delhi, India. From a young age, Ramiah was passionate about classical Indian music. Ramiah completed his undergraduate degree in New Delhi.  In 1961, Ramiah moved to Montreal, Canada. He attended McGill University where he completed his PhD in Chemistry in 1965. Ramiah and Kanaka were married on October 24, 1966 and they settled in Vancouver, British Columbia. A few years later, they welcomed their son, Sriram. Ramiah applied his chemistry background to the timber industry bringing his family to many cities across Canada until they settled in Toronto, Ontario. In Toronto, he embarked on a new profession as a computer analyst at UTLAS (ISM). Ramiah and Kanaka welcomed their daughter, Roopa, in Toronto. In 1994, Ramiah relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba with UTLAS (ISM) where he spent the remainder of his career, retiring in 1999. In 2008, Ramiah and Kanaka moved back to Toronto to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Ramiah was a devoted and loving husband. Kanaka and Ramiah found joy in each other and would often be seen laughing together. Ramiah was a nurturing, gentle father. Ramiah would often encourage his children to explore a range of activities from sports to classical dance. Ramiah was an avid Montreal Canadiens fan and enjoyed watching sports with his son. He shared his love of music with his daughter and enjoyed taking her on trips. Later in life, Ramiah developed a love of cooking for his family - his signature dish was a macaroni casserole. Ramiah and Kanaka, devout Hindus, shared a deep connection with their spirituality. They made many friends through the Telugu and Tamil communities, the temple and Sathya Sai Baba centre in Toronto and Winnipeg. The family would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of support. Visitation services are scheduled on Wednesday, May 31 from 3 pm to 4 pm with funeral and Pooja services from 4 pm to 5 pm at Lotus Funeral & Cremation Centre located at 121 City View Drive in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.