Obituary of Tarak Kalikrishna Tanikella

Freehold, NJ - Tarak Kalikrishna Tanikella, 78, died peacefully on May 8, 2017. He was born on March 1, 1939, in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India to his late parents, Lalitamba Tadepalli and Venkata Rao Tanikella. Tarak lived in India and Canada before moving to the United States 44 years ago. He was a research scientist in Pharmacology and Cardiac Diseases for Wyeth Ayerst Research (now Pfizer). Tarak loved gardening and photography. He was the kind, caring, revered elder of the family and was the ambassador to friends and relatives new to this country. He was always willing to share his knowledge and was the consummate scientist. Tarak will be sadly missed by all who knew him. Tarak is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Lalitha Kumari Tanikella; his dear son Rajanikanth Tanikella and his wife Swetha D. Voddi; his loving daughters, Prameela Rani Nagaraj and her husband Ganesh Nagaraj, and Santisree Tanikella and her husband Jaison Jose; 5 cherished grandchildren, Vikram R. Nagaraj, Laya K. Nagaraj, Dhillon V. Tanikella, Benjamin U. Jose, and Asha V. Tanikella; 2 brothers, Balakrishna Tanikella and Premanand Tanikella, and a sister, Bhavatarini Devi Narumanchi. Funeral services will be held from 1:00-3:00PM on Thursday, May 11, 2017, at Franklin Memorial Park, Route 27 & Cozzens Lane, North Brunswick, NJ, 08902. Arrangements are under the direction of India Funeral Service, 416 Bell Avenue, Raritan, NJ 08869 (866) 744-8200.