Sad News -- Bijal Patel, Dead at Age 27

As many of you already know, colleague and friend Bijal Patel (at right) drowned yesterday
while on vacation in Florida.

It's hard to enumerate all the people who will miss Bijal. The microbiology department at UGA, where Bijal was on staff in the lab of Dr. Anne Summers; the racquetball club; the racquetball community at large; the poker circle, various random gatherings of friends; etc. -- Bijal was an incredibly positive force, and involved in so many different things at the University of Georgia, and beyond.

Originally from the Bronx, Bijal nevertheless made himself an incredibly involved citizen of Athens and a dedicated member of the racquetball club. He was in many ways the face and heart of the Racquetball Club, as he was often the first to welcome beginners and the most patient companion to them as they gained skills. He played at Ramsey, at the Y, at Southern Athletic -- and pretty much anywhere there was an opportunity to play. Just last week he competed in the State Singles, coming in as a semifinalist in the C division. Recently he was very involved in efforts to kick off the intercollegiate competition between UGA and other Georgia state school (Life, Emory, Georgia Tech) racquetball teams.

But Bijal will be missed, as well, as a friend and colleague. He was unfailingly adventurous, willing to try almost any new experience, and so in the short time (years) he was at UGA, time with Bijal included softball, skeet shooting, poker, downhill skiing, horseback riding, and many a Braves game. He was also unfailingly polite, and was an ambassador to everything he was a part of.

Details on memorial activities are unavailable at this point, but will be posted here as they become available. For more information, there is also a Facebook group dedicated to his memory.