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Arati Sharangpani Memorial Lounge, October 3, 2024, by Jordan Fizia.
Mary Markley Lounge Honors Dedicated Student
Mary Markley Lounge Honors Dedicated Student
by Jordan Fizia
The vibrant colors, unique furniture, beautiful view, and comforting atmosphere intrigue me as I walk past the Arati Sharangpani Memorial Lounge each day in Mary Markley Hall. It's apropos for a place named in honor of a former student described as the “sweetest and kindest person in the world" (Roane).
As a student at the University of Michigan, Sharangpani was in the College of LSA and double majoring in German and Organizational Studies (Doyle). According to Michigan Housing, she was a residential advisor and vice president of the Indian American Students Association. She was also graduate assistant for the American Culture Department and a facilitator for the University’s 21st Century Program. Born in India, and then an exchange student o Germany, Arati was “very helpful to international students who were making transition to the University and to the United States” (Hummel). Amidst these obligations, she still found time to volunteer at multiple organizations within the community ("Arati").
Photo of Arati Sharangpani, photo courtesy The University Record
Article on Arati Sharangpani's memorial service, courtesy of The Michigan Daily Digital Archives.
Arati was one semester away from graduating when she tragically passed away in 1997 on the plane ride back from a job interview in Ohio (Doyle). In The Michigan Daily newspaper at the time, there was a section about Arati’s memorial service at the Michigan Union Ballroom, where more than 400 people attended and over 15 people spoke. This was also where LSA Dean Edie Goldenberg announced Arati would be honored with the bachelor of arts degree she was so close to finishing (Plona). What used to be the Concourse Lounge in Mary Markley was renamed to the Arati Sharangpani Memorial Lounge in 1998, a dedication to the life and spirit of the former student. In 2003, the lounge was rededicated to Arati with additions of new artwork and a personal display ("Arati").
In addition to the lounge, UM also has a memorial scholarship named after Arati. This scholarship is awarded to students who are accepted to study abroad in Tübingen, Germany. Ararti spent her senior year of high school as an exchange student in Germany (“Study Abroad Scholarships”).
According to Oxford University Press, the name Arati means, “evening pūjā (worship) in Hinduism, with incense, flowers, and chant, and with lights swung in front of the image.” BehindTheName.com says Arati is one of the many name variants that comes from the root word aratrike, which means, “dusk lamp lit beside the Tulsi plant” (Names.org). This is a strong name just like the strong woman Arati was. With all that she accomplished while at the University of Michigan, Arati Sharanpani’s legacy will live on here forever.
Works Cited
“Aaratrika.” Names.org. https://www.names.org/n/aaratrika/about Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.
“Arati.” Behind The Name. behindthename.com. https://www.behindthename.com/name/arati Accessed 26 Sep. 2024.
“Arati.” Oxford Reference. Oxfordreference.com. https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095421261#:~:text=Evening%20p%C5%ABj%C4%81%20(worship)%20in%20Hinduism%2C%20with%20incense%2C,lights%20swung%20in%20front%20of%20the%20image Accessed 26 Sep. 2024.
“Arati Sharangpani.” MHousing. housing.umich.edu. https://housing.umich.edu/cultural-lounge/arati-sharangpani/ Accessed 26 Sep. 2024.
“Arati Sharngpani’s Memory Lives On.” Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures. lsa.umich.edu. https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/german-assets/german-documents/AratiSharangpani.pdf Accessed 26 Sep. 2024.
Doyle, Rebecca. “Associate dean, student killed in plane crash.” The University Record. 14 Jan. 1997. https://record.umich.edu/articles/associate-dean-student-killed-in-plane-crash/ Accessed 26 Sep. 2024.
Fizia, Jordan. Photograph of the Arati Sharangpani Memorial Lounge. 3 October. 2024. Author’s personal collection.
Plona, Katie. “Service Honors Student.” The Michigan Daily. 23 Jan. 1997. https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/midaily/mdp.39015071754977/149 Accessed 26 Sep. 2024.
“Study Abroad Scholarships.” LSA Germanic Languages and Literatures. lsa.umich.edu. lsa.umich.edu/german/undergraduate-students/awards--scholarships--prizes/study-abroad-scholarships.html Accessed 26 Sep. 2024.
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