Shankar Mohaniraj Badve (Bhau) was born in Kotul, Maharashtra in the Fall of 1925 to a family of two brothers and three sisters. From childhood, it was clear how pivotal of a role education would play in his life and how much it meant to him. As there was no educational facility that taught beyond 4th grade in Kotul, he would walk eight miles every day to attend secondary school till 7th grade. For further education, he moved out to Pune by himself, where he worked menial jobs to pay for a living and studied under the street light, solely fueled by his love for learning. His hard work and determination paid off as he was overjoyed to receive a dream scholarship for Pune Engineering College, but because he did not have the money to pay for cost of living expenses (after scholarship), he enrolled in a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Mathematics instead, later going on to do a Master's in Applied Mathematics as well. Little did he know how consequential mathematics would be in his life.

He went on to become an Assistant Professor at Ruparel College in Mumbai, and it was during this time, he married his wife Snehaprabha, who had just finished her Bachelor's degree at Wilson College. He supported her to continue her education and encouraged her to complete her first Master's degree, showing the world how important education and scholarship was to him. This was just the beginning of a collaborative and encouraging partnership of 70+ years. He became a Professor of Mathematics and later Head of the Mathematics department at Somaiya College in Mumbai. He was elected as a Senate member of Bombay University and played a pivotal role in the founding of the University's Teachers Council. In his free time, he even wrote a number of textbooks on Calculus.

He took it upon himself to make sure his younger brother never had to face the same obstacles he did and paid for his entire education. Charity would maintain a significant presence in Bhau's life. He donated money in his father's name to build a school that would go to the tenth grade in his birthplace of Kotul. After moving to the U.S., he and Sneha volunteered at the FFE (Foundation for Excellence), ICSC (Indian Center for Senior Community), the Sunnyvale Mayor's Drive for helping the homeless, and TiE (The Indus Entrepreneur).

Bhau lived a full and engaging life beyond his academic side. He joined the National Cadet Core early in his life and continued the training even as he was a full-time professor. He rose through the ranks to be a Captain and became adept at rifle shooting as well as operating a tank. During the Indo-China War of 1962, he was called to be on active alert to report to the warfront, though luckily for three-year-old Suhas and one-year-old Sunil, he was never called to the frontline. The children were excited about the arrival of a landline telephone in their home however.

A strict vegetarian, Bhau never smoked or consumed alcohol, prioritizing health in every aspect of his life, allowing for a century's worth of fruitful living. Throughout his life, he adhered to a meticulously disciplined routine, always waking, exercising, eating, and sleeping at a fixed schedule, and many loved ones would joke that they could tell you exactly what he was doing depending on the time of day. He would always be caught up on the news and could never get enough when learning about the world.

This was the Bhau that the world saw, but his family could tell you that he there were so many things he loved beyond the structure he created around him. He loved traveling and exploring places all over the world. Some of his favorite places that he loved telling stories about were the Panama Canal, the Great Wall of China, and Jungfrau in Switzerland. He was fond of hiking and has hiked most of the forts in Maharashtra along with Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons. He had a knack for gardening and was known for being able to grow a plant out of anything from a rogue avocado seed to a stray potato eye. Most notably, he loved Sudoku puzzles and Solitaire, always keeping his mind occupied with the most challenging puzzles and encouraging his grandchildren to try their hand at it as well. Even on his last day, he completed the most difficult Sudoku puzzle in his book.

Shankar Badve was the definition of a self-made man and a lifelong learner. He has left behind a century-long legacy of unwavering determination and resilience that has inspired generations. We know his invaluable advice and example will stay etched in our hearts for years to come.