Water Institute community mourns passing of former student Banerjee

Jan. 14, 2014

Ovik Banerjee

Ovik Banerjee, 24, former colleague at the Gillings School of Global Public Health’s Water Institute at UNC, died unexpectedly on Jan. 6 in Las Vegas.

Mr. Banerjee received a Bachelor of Science degree with highest honors in 2012 in environmental science and biology in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences. His work at the Water Institute was considered exceptional, and several papers on his research likely will be published posthumously. He was working with Venture for American in its Downtown Project Las Vegas at the time of his death.

“Ovik was an exceptional student at UNC,” said Jamie Bartram, PhD, Holzworth Distinguished Professor and director the Water Institute. “He was a warm and well-liked person and a valued and valuable member of the Institute community. He will be sorely missed by those who knew him.”

Mr. Banerjee is survived by his parents, Sati and Subhankar, and his siblings Orunima and Anondo.

The family received visitors on Monday, Jan. 13, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Sunset Funeral Home and Cemetery, 3802 Watermelon Road, Northport, Ala., followed by a memorial service there on Jan. 14 at 5 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Venture for America  or Leaders in Training, a nonprofit organization that serves as an after-school college access program for elementary and high school students in Las Vegas.

Condolences may be offered online.