Dr. Daksha A. Shah

May 4, 1940–February 6, 2018

Dr. Daksha A. Shah peacefully entered into rest, surrounded by her family, on February 6, 2018 in Sacramento, California after a long, hard-fought and courageous battle with ALS (“Lou Gehrig’s Disease”). She was preceded in death by her parents Vidyaben and Dahyabhai Mehta and her sister Niruben. She is survived by her husband Arvind J. Shah; her children Neha and Cyril; her four grandchildren whom she cherished and adored--Kai, Jaden, Juliet and Palmer; her sister Renukaben; and her brothers Arunbhai and Rajabhai. She served as a dedicated physician for 40 years and will be missed dearly by her medical community as well as the greater Indian community in Sacramento of which she was an integral and dynamic part.

Early Years

Daksha was born in Ahmedabad, India in 1940, the youngest of five children. She was born a very premature baby, but she was a fighter from day one. She would continue to beat the odds and break barriers her entire life: moving far from her home in India to obtain the best medical education available; being the first in her family to travel across the globe to live in America; practicing medicine in what was then a field with very few immigrant women physicians; and specializing her obstetrics and gynecology practice in infertility with a fierce determination to make miracles happen, just as her own survival at birth itself was a miracle.

Daksha's father was one of the organizers of Mahatma Gandhi’s Freedom Movement in the State of Gujarat in India’s quest to achieve independence. After his death, Daksha’s mother ensured that all five of her children received the highest level of education possible, in addition to helping numerous students from rural villages come to the city to obtain their education. Her parents’ example explains so much about why Daksha has always been such an engaged and civic-minded member of the community and why she found it so natural in her adult life to care for and teach others and to provide her services to those less fortunate. She truly followed the precepts of Bhagavad Gita, serving humanity with her head, heart and hands.

Medical Education and Career

Daksha received her medical degree in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India in 1963, and then obtained her post-graduate medical degree in obstetrics and gynecology from B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad in 1966. After marrying Arvind and moving to the United States in 1969, she practiced medicine in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before moving to California in 1979 and beginning her practice with Kaiser Permanente Medical Group in Sacramento (Morse Avenue, then Roseville). She devoted her life to her patients at Kaiser for 25 years, retiring in 2004. In addition to her clinical and surgical practice, she was an active member of numerous medical boards, and she volunteered her time and knowledge by providing services to patients at the county clinic, mentoring medical residents and presenting to large groups on a variety of health-related topics.

Spare Time

Daksha had an intense passion for music. She studied Indian classical music and sang with a group of dedicated vocalists and musicians in Sacramento for almost 30 years, performing regularly throughout Northern California. In her spare time, Daksha also loved to cook and treated everyone who came to her home with her delicious Indian culinary delights. She was a loyal friend who always showed up to lend a helping hand, and she traveled regularly to celebrate every milestone with her nieces and nephews. Above all else, she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren who were her pride and joy.

ALS

In 2014, Daksha was enjoying retired life when she was diagnosed with ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that leaves the brain, memory and cognitive abilities intact, while viciously attacking one’s muscles. She eventually became completely paralyzed, and by 2016 she could no longer speak. Thankfully, her family was able to grant her wish to endure this disease in the comfort of her own home, and she was surrounded by her loving husband, family, friends and extraordinary caregivers throughout her illness. It was extremely difficult for Daksha's loved ones to see this dynamo, who devoted her life to helping others, suffer so much. But Daksha continued to beat the odds of her prognosis and demonstrated her fighting spirit with profound grace, serenity and strength through her very last breath.

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Daksha will be remembered for her limitless generosity, boundless energy, larger-than-life personality, fierce loyalty to her family and friends, dedication to her community and patients, commitment to education, and a lifetime of service. Her family will hold a celebration of Daksha's life in April to honor her and her legacy.

In Daksha’s memory, her family has established the Dr. Daksha Shah Memorial Fund with the ALS Association, Greater Sacramento Chapter, to support local patient care and fund ALS research in the hope of finding a cure. In lieu of flowers, tax-deductible donations can be made by clicking the "Donate Now" button above. 

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