Krishna Kumar Relan

Krishna “Krishan” Kumar Relan passed away peacefully on June 12, 2026. He was a kind, gentle, brilliant, and selfless man, deeply loved by all who knew him. Krishan measured success not by what he accumulated or accomplished, but by what he provided for others, believing character was defined by how one treats others. He built a life that connected continents and generations, quietly creating opportunities for family, friends, neighbors, and many others.

No obituary can fully capture all that he meant to those who knew and loved him, but the milestones below offer a glimpse into the extraordinary person he was.

Krishan was born in 1938 in Lahore, then part of British India, the eldest son of six children. His early childhood was shaped by the Partition of 1947, when his family fled to Panipat, India. The hardship and uncertainty of those years left a lasting impression and shaped his lifelong values of integrity, resilience, and hard work.

A gifted student, Krishan earned a scholarship to the Indian Institute of Technology. During his studies, he lost his mother, an experience that deeply affected him and strengthened his sense of responsibility toward his family. After graduating, he began his engineering career with Hindustan Motors in Calcutta, launching a successful professional life.

In 1965, Krishan married Swadesh “Deshi,” beginning a lifelong partnership built on love, companionship, and family. They settled in the Hindustan Motors colony in Calcutta, where they welcomed their daughter Sangeeta in 1967.

Soon after, inspired by Deshi’s determination and willingness to take a risk, she began the family’s immigration process by applying for green cards at the U.S. Embassy. In 1970, Krishan arrived in the United States with only $8 in his pocket. From JFK Airport, he traveled to Detroit in search of opportunity in the automotive industry. From these humble beginnings, he built a life that supported generations. Deshi followed soon after, traveling with Sangeeta in one arm and her sitar in the other.

In 1972, Krishan earned his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Wayne State University while working full-time. During this period, Deshi also supported the family by selling Avon, teaching sitar, babysitting, and ironing clothes. Krishan often looked back on those years with deep fondness, remembering them as a simpler time in their lives.

Their family grew in 1973 with the birth of their son, Vikas. Just a few years later, in 1977, Deshi was diagnosed with renal failure. From that point forward, Krishan devoted himself fully to her care. Through years of dialysis, a kidney transplant, countless medical procedures, and ongoing treatments, he remained steadfastly by her side. His love, strength, and dedication carried them through every challenge. Until her passing in 2024, he was not only her husband but also her tireless advocate, caregiver, and constant source of comfort.

In 1986, after Deshi's first attempt at the real estate licensing exam was unsuccessful, Krishan encouraged her to try again. Determined to help her succeed, he studied alongside her and even took the exam with her. Together, they passed and became licensed real estate agents, launching a new chapter as business partners. Known throughout metro Detroit as “Sue and Kris,” they helped countless families, many of them immigrants, purchase homes and establish roots in America. For Krishan, real estate was never simply about property, it was about creating stability.

His guidance extended well beyond his clients. He was deeply involved in major home purchases for Sangeeta and Vikas, offering careful advice and an engineer's eye for detail. Friends and family frequently turned to him for counsel on financial decisions and homeownership, and he took great pride in helping others make informed and confident choices.

Krishan continued his engineering career with General Dynamics and later General Motors until retiring in 2008. During his time at General Motors, he authored multiple manufacturing patents that saved the company both time and money.

As their lives flourished in America, Krishan never lost sight of the values that shaped him. After becoming a U.S. citizen, he and Deshi sponsored many family members to immigrate to the United States, helping them build new lives and create opportunities for future generations.

In 2005, Vikas married Wendy, and in 2008 they welcomed their daughter, Verona. Soon after, Krishan and Deshi moved to Grosse Pointe Park, just four blocks away, allowing them to remain a constant presence in Verona’s life.

Their years there were filled with activity and friendship, including chair yoga at the senior center, water aerobics, picnics, pool parties, weekly visits to their temple, and games of bridge, which they continued online when travel became difficult. The children’s pets (Bailey, Shanny, Logan, Henry, Cole, Rio, Philly, Foxy, and Dolly Parton), were frequent visitors and a source of constant joy.

Krishan believed deeply in education, hard work, loyalty, honesty, forgiveness, and family above all. Together, he and Deshi built a home filled with love, laughter, resilience, and opportunity. He patiently tutored not only his own children but also their friends and others in the community and took pride in preparing his children’s tax returns well into their adulthood.

Krishan and Deshi remained in Grosse Pointe Park until 2024, when Deshi passed.

Sangeeta, Vikas, and Verona were the beneficiaries of countless sacrifices, many never spoken of and never expected to be recognized. To Sangeeta, Vikas, and Wendy, he was a teacher, mentor, role model, and steady guide. To his granddaughter Verona, whom he adored, he was a loving grandfather whose humor, encouragement, and unconditional love will remain with her always.

Among his most treasured memories were visits to India, including a 2019 trip introducing Verona to her family’s homeland, which reflected what mattered most to him: family, staying connected to his roots, and a deep appreciation for where he came from and previous generations.

Krishan was a consummate optimist with a wonderful sense of humor. Whether through a clever observation, a perfectly timed comment, or one of his many one-liners, he had a gift for making others laugh and feel at ease. Even after Deshi’s passing, hearing loss, and multiple strokes, he continued to greet family, friends, and strangers with warmth, kindness, and gratitude. He never took his life or what he had accomplished for granted, often saying, “If you look above, you’ll see few; if you look below, you’ll see many.”

In his final years, despite declining health, he remained deeply involved in his children’s lives. He attended Vikas’s softball games, Verona’s soccer matches and recitals, and Sangeeta’s CrossFit sessions. He watched Detroit sports and cricket with Vikas and kept Wendy company while she gardened. He also joined family gatherings whenever he was able, including karaoke nights, Diwali and Holi celebrations, and dinner parties, until he no longer had the strength to continue.

Through every chapter of his life, Krishan left a lasting impact as a son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, engineer, friend, and caregiver. The values he lived by and the lives he shaped will continue to connect generations for years to come. The world is a little less bright without him.

He is lovingly remembered by his daughter Sangeeta; his son Vikas; his daughter-in-law Wendy; his granddaughter Verona; his brother Anil and sister-in-law Sukhvinder; and his sister-in-law Kamlesh, wife of his late brother Indra, along with extended family and friends in India and the United States.

Krishan Kumar Relan was cremated following a beautiful Hindu ceremony in a private family gathering. Friends and family will come together in August to remember and celebrate his remarkable life.