Cover photo for Dershan (Guliani)  Grover's Obituary
Dershan (Guliani)  Grover Profile Photo

Dershan (Guliani) Grover

May 24, 1938 — March 16, 2022

Princeton Junction, NJ

The world lost an amazing mother, grandmother, daadi massi, sister, didi, godmother, auntie, massi, mamiji, friend, and a true matriarch when Dershan Grover (nee, Guliani) passed March 16, 2022 surrounded by her family in NJ after an illness. She is survived by her sisters, her son  Alok M. Grover and his wife Namrata Grover, her daughter Bhana Grover and her husband Alexander Gizis, and her five grandchildren.

Dershan Grover described herself as having three chapters of her life. She was born in Shimla, India, in 1938, the third girl in a family of four girls. Her father and mother encouraged all of their children to be progressive, independent and fostered their love of education. She received a master's degree in history and became a teacher in New Delhi, India in 1962 after her marriage.

In her second chapter, Dershan and her late husband (Yudhishtar Grover) immigrated with their
children to Silver Spring, Maryland in the early 1970s. Her goal was to work hard and capture
the ‘American Dream’ for herself and her children. Even though Dershan was not accustomed
to the American holidays such as Thanksgiving, she learned how to cook turkey, always with a
dash of cumin, and loved celebrating Christmas with its beauty of the season. The family moved
to Chester County, Pennsylvania in 1973, where she truly became a part of a community. She
worked at First National Bank of West Chester and embraced her life by learning how to drive
and marching in walkathons for causes she supported.

In 1980, Dershan’s husband passed but it did not stop her love for adventure and living life to
the fullest. She found joy in traveling with her friend Richard McHugh, hiking and exploring the
United States. Even though they loved trying new restaurants, the Cracker Barrel breakfast was
always their favorite.

In her third chapter, Dershan moved to Philadelphia. For the past twenty-plus years, she lived
in Center City, Philadelphia. Not ready to fully retire, Dershan helped small businesses with
their books from Rosie’s Yarn shop to skating shops and CCCC. She would love to walk in the
city and enjoy meeting people at Washington Square Park. Dershan and her friends had their
weekly yoga classes followed by their famous lunches. She attended all her grandchildren’s
piano recitals, basketball games, cross country meets, and school events. When she went to
visit India, she often brought her friends and enjoyed being their tour guide.

In September 2021, Dershan attended her oldest grandchild’s wedding. Dershan radiated her
love for family and all her blessings by her smile and enjoyment of the festivities. Dershan will
be missed by countless people she touched with her wit, motherly advice, gifts of her handmade
knitted hats and baby blankets, and clipped coupons! Thank you for being amazing mother,
grandmother, daadi massi, sister, didi, godmother, auntie, massi, mamiji and friend, you were
our light.

Family, friends, and others whose lives Dershan Grover touched are invited to celebrate her life
at the Duffield Room at Old Pine Church, Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, March 26th at 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to:
Manna @ https://mannapa.org/ or you may mail a check to Manna, 420 North 20th Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19130, attention Development Department.
Or
Old Pine Community Center @ https://oldpinecommunitycenter.org/donate/

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dershan (Guliani) Grover, please visit our flower store.

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