B. Narayana Bhat, formerly of Huntingdon, passed away in Pittsburgh, Penn., on October 31. Services were held on November 3 at the GENE H. CORL FUNERAL CHAPEL INC. AND CREMATION SERVICES, 4335 Northern Pike, Monroeville, PA
Born February 28, 1937, he is survived by his wife of 58 years; Praphulla Bhat; his three children; Amar, Kavitha, and Niranjan and their spouses/partners; and ten grandchildren. Raised near Shankarpura village in southern Karnataka state, India, he married Praphulla in 1963 as a recent medical graduate and they immigrated to the United States in 1964. After completion of a general surgery residency in Nashville, they settled in the town of Huntingdon, where he practiced for over 25 years. He was known as a caring and skillful surgeon and an active and dedicated citizen of the town he and his family called home for more than a quarter century. Following retirement, he and Praphulla returned to Nashville in 1998, contributing as vital members to the local Indian-American community, until moving to the Pittsburgh area in 2020 to be closer to their daughter. He was a devoted husband and loving father with an infectious smile and generous heart. He will be remembered for his philanthropy, whether as a founding member of the first Hindu temple in Nashville, or as a benefactor to institutions in India. In addition to being the primary general surgeon for Huntingdon and McKenzie in the 1970s through the 1990s, and at times serving as chief of staff for their respective hospitals, his contributions to the town included the Veterans Park tennis courts and participation in the Lions Club. He will also be remembered for supporting the educational aspirations of many in his extended family, asking only that they go on to support others in return. He enjoyed playing tennis and bridge and traveling throughout the world.
