Hira Lal Khanna 1932-2020

He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Sumohini Khanna; his three children, Vanita Khanna (Sudhansu Yadav), Poonam Khanna (Craig Goldstein) and Sanjeev Khanna (Erica Khanna); and five grandchildren, Anisha Yadav, Rina Yadav, Milin Goldstein, Elina Goldstein and Caten Goldstein.

Hira was born in 1932 in Amritsar, India. He completed his neurosurgical residency at the University of Cincinnati and practiced neurosurgery in Youngstown, from 1974 to 2008.

He was a board-certified neurosurgeon who was devoted to his profession and actively engaged in continuous research. He authored several publications, including “774 Carotid Endarterectomies for Strokes and Transient Ischemic Attacks; Comparison of Results of Early Versus Late Symptoms,” which are still important publications in early surgical stroke intervention. He was invited to speak throughout the United States and internationally in Canada, Italy, India, Spain and West Germany.

Dr. Khanna was a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in England and a Fellow of American College of Surgeons. In 2018, Dr. Khanna was honored in the House of Lords in England for his contributions in the field of neurosurgery.

He also received the Distinguished Physician Award by the Mahoning County Medical Society in February 1998. This award recognized outstanding accomplishments and service to the community and organized medicine. In the same year, Dr. Khanna was presented the YWCA Man of the Year award.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Khanna held several positions within the medical field, including chief of neurosurgery at Northside Hospital in Ohio, attending neurosurgeon at Salem Community Hospital and associate professor at Northeast Ohio Medical University.

Dr. Khanna was also very involved in his community. He was an active member of the Boardman Rotary, Mahoning Medical Society in Ohio, one of the founding members and a past president of the India Association of Youngstown, a past president of American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (Youngstown Chapter) and a member of the Youngstown Hindu Temple.

When not working and serving his community, Dr. Khanna’s family meant the world to him. He was happiest when surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren.

He loved to read. He particularly enjoyed reading about the stock market. Dr. Khanna enjoyed music and dancing. He practiced yoga and meditation daily. He loved smelling jasmine in his garden; the fragrance reminded him of his childhood in India. He was very well traveled, adored learning about different cultures and trying different cuisines.

Dr. Khanna will be most remembered for his neurosurgical career and teaching of residents. He will also be remembered for his great sense of humor, humility, infectious smile, kindness and compassionate spirit. He always believed in the best in people and was a huge inspiration to many.

Dr. Khanna will be terribly missed by his patients, friends and most of all, his family.

A private funeral and cremation service for Dr. Khanna’s family was held on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, at Leppert Mortuary and Crematory Services in Nora, Indianapolis, Ind. You are welcome and encouraged to share remembrances and condolences of Dr. Khanna with his family on the tribute page at www.leppertmortuary.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested, in Dr. Khanna’s name, to SLN Temple Girard Ohio, 6464 Sodom Hutchings Road, Girard, OH 44420, slntemplegirardohio.com, where Dr. Hira Khanna was a founding member, or the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, 4141 Shore Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46254, www.rhirehab.com/rhi-foundation, where Dr. Hira Khanna received physical therapy in the last year of his life.

(special notice)