Vikram Rawate

Vikram "Paul" Rawate , age 45 of Wakefield peacefully passed away after a courageous battle against cancer on Wednesday July 28th at his home surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Agra, India on January 4, 1976 and came to the United States a year later. He is the son of Arun and Clara (Richard) Rawate and Maya Jacob and the late T.M. Jacob. He spent his childhood in Lincoln, NE and Los Angeles, CA. A natural athlete, he started golfing at age seven and received his first black belt in Taekwondo when he was eight. He continued to excel as a scholar athlete at Crespi Carmelite High School in Los Angeles, and was recruited to play both collegiate golf and football. He attended the University of California at Santa Barbara earning a degree in economics. Post-college, he decided to follow his passion for Taekwondo and opened and operated his own studio. Throughout his life, he shared his talents and passions with others through teaching and mentoring. He had a way of making each person he met feel special and left a lasting impression wherever he went.
In 2009, he married his soulmate, Meena Jacob in Los Angeles, California. Shortly thereafter, they moved back to the Boston area. In 2013, they welcomed their biggest blessing, their son, Rajan Paul Rawate . Paul excelled in all things he tried, but his favorite and most cherished was being Rajan's hero and Meena's other half.

Being diagnosed with terminal cancer could not stop Paul from continuing to shine on. With incredible fortitude and generosity of spirit, he lived each day with purpose. He used his voice to create awareness and was featured in GQ Magazine, NPR's Here and Now, and various podcasts with Fight CRC. He was particularly passionate about eliminating cancer disparities and was asked to be the keynote speaker for a virtual fireside chat held by Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center's Initiative to Eliminate Cancer Disparities, which has research training programs designed to engage and expose high-school and college students from underrepresented communities to careers in cancer research.

His compassion, care, intellect, and humor will allow his spirit to continue to shine brightly.

Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Wednesday August 4 from 4-7 p.m. Paul's Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 1155 Main St., Wakefield on Thursday August 5 at 11 a.m. For the safety of all, the family requests that all visitors must wear a mask. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Paul Rawate to support the CURE Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284. Please include a note "In memory of Paul Rawate" or include Paul's name in the memo line. Donations can also be made here: https://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/site/TR?team_id=9688&pg=team&fr_id=1200
For those who are unable to attend in person:

Topic: Vikram Paul Rawate Memorial Service
Time: Aug 5, 2021 10:45 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85152901076?pwd=ekUya3dQTmpPM2xDYUplL3JEVWtrdz09

Meeting ID: 851 5290 1076
Passcode: 968326

August 04, 2021
4:00 PM to 7:00 PM

McDonald Funeral Home
19 Yale Ave
Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 245-3550

August 05, 2021
11:00 AM

Most Blessed Sacrament Church
1155 Main St.
Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 245-2080