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August 15, 2026
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 9 – 10:30 AM on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. At 10:30 AM on Tuesday the Funeral Services will begin with cremation to follow.
Alolika Mukherjee, age 82, of Wayne for over fifty years, passed Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Born to Nishith and Malabika Bhattacharya, Alolika came to the United States on June 7, 1971. She initially settled in New York before making her home in Wayne in 1974, where she remained for more than fifty years. Wayne became the place she called home, where she built her life and became a cherished member of the community.
Alolika was a woman who valued education and had a deep appreciation for literature. She earned her undergraduate degree in Bengali Literature from Women’s Christian College at the University of Calcutta, graduating with the Class of 1964. She continued her studies at the University of Calcutta, earning her Master’s Degree in Literature in 1966. Her love of learning and literature remained an important part of who she was throughout her life.
Alolika was a gifted writer and journalist who remained deeply connected to her Bengali heritage throughout her life. She served as a columnist and United States Correspondent for Paribartan, a weekly news magazine, and for more than 25 years contributed to Bartaman Patrika, a leading Bengali-language daily newspaper in India. She was also a guest contributor for feature articles and short fiction stories for the preeminent Bengali language literary journal Ananda Bazaar Desh Patrika. She authored several books of fiction that were published and launched at the International Book Fair in Calcutta.
Through her writing, Alolika shared stories, perspectives, and news from the United States with readers in India, maintaining a meaningful connection between the two communities she loved.
At just seventeen, Alolika met the love of her life, Bhawani Mukherjee, who was eighteen at the time. Their love story began not through a traditional arranged marriage, but through a chance encounter at a cultural club, where Bhawani was a chorus member and Alolika was a dancer. Hoping to capture her heart, Bhawani wooed Alolika with a rendition of Pat Boone’s song “Technique.” His serenade worked, and the two soon fell deeply in love.
They were married on August 1, 1967, in Calcutta and began their life together with a honeymoon at a beautiful seaside resort along the Bay of Bengal. Their marriage was filled with love, companionship, and family. Together, they were blessed with a daughter, Sree, affectionately known as Bobbi, who brought them immeasurable joy and pride.
For many years, Alolika generously shared her time, talents, and passion for the arts with others. She taught dance and was actively involved in writing and directing Indian musical productions in New Jersey and New York City. Through her creativity and dedication, she helped celebrate and preserve the rich traditions of Indian culture while inspiring others to share in her love of dance, music, and the performing arts.
Alolika was the loving wife of fifty-nine years to Bhawani Mukherjee; she was the devoted mother of Sree (Bobbi) Mukherjee-Vaid and her husband Dr. Chetan Vaid of Old Greenwich, CT; she was the cherished and very involved grandmother of Shiv, Richa, and Anika; devoted sister to Sonali and Sudipto; she was dearly loved by numerous nieces and nephews; and will be dearly missed by her grand-dog Chuck.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital would be greatly appreciated.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family from 9 – 10:30 AM on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. At 10:30 AM on Tuesday the Funeral Services will begin with cremation to follow.
August 15, 2026
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 9 – 10:30 AM on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. At 10:30 AM on Tuesday the Funeral Services will begin with cremation to follow.
Alolika Mukherjee, age 82, of Wayne for over fifty years, passed Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Born to Nishith and Malabika Bhattacharya, Alolika came to the United States on June 7, 1971. She initially settled in New York before making her home in Wayne in 1974, where she remained for more than fifty years. Wayne became the place she called home, where she built her life and became a cherished member of the community.
Alolika was a woman who valued education and had a deep appreciation for literature. She earned her undergraduate degree in Bengali Literature from Women’s Christian College at the University of Calcutta, graduating with the Class of 1964. She continued her studies at the University of Calcutta, earning her Master’s Degree in Literature in 1966. Her love of learning and literature remained an important part of who she was throughout her life.
Alolika was a gifted writer and journalist who remained deeply connected to her Bengali heritage throughout her life. She served as a columnist and United States Correspondent for Paribartan, a weekly news magazine, and for more than 25 years contributed to Bartaman Patrika, a leading Bengali-language daily newspaper in India. She was also a guest contributor for feature articles and short fiction stories for the preeminent Bengali language literary journal Ananda Bazaar Desh Patrika. She authored several books of fiction that were published and launched at the International Book Fair in Calcutta.
Through her writing, Alolika shared stories, perspectives, and news from the United States with readers in India, maintaining a meaningful connection between the two communities she loved.
At just seventeen, Alolika met the love of her life, Bhawani Mukherjee, who was eighteen at the time. Their love story began not through a traditional arranged marriage, but through a chance encounter at a cultural club, where Bhawani was a chorus member and Alolika was a dancer. Hoping to capture her heart, Bhawani wooed Alolika with a rendition of Pat Boone’s song “Technique.” His serenade worked, and the two soon fell deeply in love.
They were married on August 1, 1967, in Calcutta and began their life together with a honeymoon at a beautiful seaside resort along the Bay of Bengal. Their marriage was filled with love, companionship, and family. Together, they were blessed with a daughter, Sree, affectionately known as Bobbi, who brought them immeasurable joy and pride.
For many years, Alolika generously shared her time, talents, and passion for the arts with others. She taught dance and was actively involved in writing and directing Indian musical productions in New Jersey and New York City. Through her creativity and dedication, she helped celebrate and preserve the rich traditions of Indian culture while inspiring others to share in her love of dance, music, and the performing arts.
Alolika was the loving wife of fifty-nine years to Bhawani Mukherjee; she was the devoted mother of Sree (Bobbi) Mukherjee-Vaid and her husband Dr. Chetan Vaid of Old Greenwich, CT; she was the cherished and very involved grandmother of Shiv, Richa, and Anika; devoted sister to Sonali and Sudipto; she was dearly loved by numerous nieces and nephews; and will be dearly missed by her grand-dog Chuck.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital would be greatly appreciated.
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