Madhusudan Shankarrao Joshi

In Loving Memory of Madhusudan Shankarrao Joshi (October 21, 1928 – June 14, 2026)

Madhusudan S. Joshi, age 97, passed away on June 14, 2026. He was born on October 21, 1928, to Shankarrao and Parvatibai Joshi in Jamkhandi, India.

Madhu’s early years were spent in Dharwad, India. His undergraduate degree was from Karnatak College in 1949. Madhu moved to Mumbai, India for higher education. In 1952 he received his master’s degree in Zoology from the Institute of Science. Madhu worked as a biology instructor at Elphinstone College and Ismail Yusuf College in Mumbai until 1956.

Madhu met his future wife, Sudha Pandit, while attending classical music concerts in Mumbai. They got married in April of 1953, a union that spanned over seventy years. They had two children, Veena and Vivek. Madhu and Sudha had a strong passion for Hindustani Dhrupad music. They were always surrounded by friends who loved music and the arts, and hosted various musicians and concerts wherever they lived.

In 1964, Madhu moved with his family for his doctoral work at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel. Madhu was awarded his PhD in 1969 and moved back to India with his family.

Madhu moved to Brooklyn, New York in September 1970 to work as a professor in the Department of Anatomy at Down State Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. In 1978, Madhu accepted a faculty position at the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks. Madhu retired from UND in 1998 after twenty years of employment.

Throughout his retirement, Madhu and Sudha spent winters in Pune, India. He kept strong ties with family and friends in India, embodying the values of community and family.

In 1998, Madhu moved to Madison, Wisconsin to be closer to his daughter, Veena, and her family.

Madhu was known for his boundless energy, brilliance, and adventurous life. He loved playing tennis and introduced this sport to his grandchildren. Madhu had a zest for life and learning that he shared with everyone he loved.

Madhu is survived by his two children: Veena Brekke (Steve Sundet) and Vivek Joshi (Monica Joshi), five grandchildren: Arune Brekke (Jannet Arenas Pineda), Erik Brekke, Anjuli Brekke, Elise Joshi, Eliot Joshi, and one great grandson, Niko Brekke Arenas.

A Celebration of Life ceremony will take place at 2:00 PM on Monday, August 3rd at Olbrich Gardens in Madison, WI.

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