Obituary

Dr. Desingu S. Raja, of Charleston, WV, passed away at the age of 84 while surrounded by his family Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at CAMC Memorial Hospital.

He was born June 30, 1939, in Rajapalayam (town of Rajas) in Southern India. Dr. Raja was a dedicated Orthopedic Surgeon who served this community for more than 40 years. He started his journey in orthopedic surgery in South India, having migrated to the United States in 1967. By doing so, he realized one of his dreams and achievements by completing further orthopedic surgical training at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1972. That year, he was recruited by Charleston native and renowned Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Anderson, to work as an Orthopedic Surgeon in Logan, WV, to provide a highly needed service to what was at that time a severely underserved community in southern West Virginia.

What was initially intended to be a steppingstone for his orthopedic career became his forever home. He was treated with such great kindness and respect during that time in small town West Virginia that reminded him more of the small southern Indian community where he was raised. He later moved to Charleston in 1977, taking an orthopedic surgical position at the CAMC hospital system.

He was proud to serve and represent the West Virginia community. He took great pride in serving as an Associate Clinical Professor for the West Virginia University School of Medicine and the Lewisburg, WV, Osteopathic School. He continued to work as an Orthopedic Surgeon in both Charleston and Logan area medical centers for the remainder of his career, having served countless patients and their families with great care and compassion.

He was known as a soft-spoken gentleman with a perpetual smile. He loved playing basketball with his children and their friends. He loved watching the NBA, especially the Chicago Bulls during the Jordan years. He still considered himself being “a little bit Chicago” despite being a “country boy.”

Following his retirement from being an Orthopedic Surgeon, he could not sit still. He went back to school to earn a business degree from the University of Charleston in 2005. Following that, he spent countless hours trying to crack the code underlying the “science” which determined stock market trends.

Dr. Raja is beloved, greatly respected and served as an inspiration to both his hometown community in Rajapalayam and his adopted homeland in Southern West Virginia. He will be greatly missed.

Dr. Raja is survived by his spouse, Kalyani Raja; his son, Dr. Prem Raja, CAMC Radiation Oncologist; daughter, Premila Raja, and three granddaughters, Roma Raja, Adri Raja, and Karman Raja.

Funeral service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, November 5, 2023, at Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, 1118 Virginia Street East, Charleston, WV, with Priest Sai Krishna officiating. Bhajans Memoriam song will begin at 5:00 p.m.

Visitation will begin one hour prior at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you to kindly consider sending a donation in his honor to a charity of your choice.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.barowbonsall.com.

Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.