The Godmother Who Taught Me to Give
Every giver has someone who showed them how. For Nizi Bhandari, that someone was Sushma Lal — his godmother, and one of the greatest blessings of his life.
Who she was
Grace, without conditions
Some people walk into your life and quietly become its foundation. Aunty Sushma was that for Nizi. Whenever life grew heavy, whenever he needed someone to lean on, she was there — not with judgement, but with grace, warmth, and an unshakable belief in him. She stood beside him again and again, the way only family chosen by the heart can.
What she taught him wasn't a lesson in words. It was a way of being: to show up for people, to lead with love, to give without keeping score. He learned generosity by watching hers.
When she returned to the Lord, she left behind something that doesn't fade — a way of giving that Nizi carries every single day.
"She gave with grace, a guiding light — now I give back to keep her bright."— The Iva and Shiv Foundation, in memory of Sushma Lal
Rather than mark her passing with grief alone, Nizi chose to mark it with giving — exactly as she would have. He held a large event in her honour and dedicated the work of the foundation to her name. Today its banner carries a line that says it all: continuing the legacy of love, learning, and light.
Read the full tribute on In Memory of Sushma Lal — and help keep her light bright by joining the mission.
Good to know
Remembering Sushma Lal — common questions
Who was Sushma Lal to Nizi Bhandari?
Sushma Lal was Nizi Bhandari's godmother and a guiding light in his life — the steady, loving presence who stood beside him through every season and taught him, by example, how to give.
How does Nizi Bhandari keep Sushma Lal's memory alive?
He held a large event in her honour and dedicated the work of the Iva and Shiv Foundation to her name. Every act of giving continues her legacy, so a part of every school bag and every smile belongs to her.
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More of Nizi Bhandari's world
In loving memory of Sushma Lal · The belief she passed on · Her legacy in action