Renu Rani Rajput

February 19, 1988 - April 11, 2022

You may be wondering, who was Renu Rani Rajput? Well, it’s right there, written in her name.

Her first name, Renu, means atom, as in the fundamental building block of reality, and as the first child in her family, she was the fundamental building block of the Rajput family. She was born on February 19, 1988 to two strong and caring parents (Amita and Anil Rajput), and she was the eldest of four siblings (Pria, Sheena, and Ajay). Renu loved spending time with her family—watching new movies when they came out, trying new restaurants, and shopping! Her room was truly the heart of the home, and it’s where friends and family would always gather together to eat, celebrate, and watch TV. But Renu did more than just bring the family together.

Her middle name, Rani, means queen, and like all great queens, she was incredibly generous. Throughout her whole life, even when she was fighting her own battles, Renu was always generous with her time and attention. She always thought about other people. She would ask you, “how are you doing?” or “how can I help you?” She always gave you an ear to listen. And whenever she left the home, she would always buy a gift for someone. She was thoughtful that way. But Renu was more than just a generous queen.

Her last name, Rajput, is the name of an Indian warrior caste, and anyone who knows Renu will tell you that she was a fighter unlike any other. At the age of fifteen, Renu came down with a flu which attacked her heart, and within 24 hours, she was on life support, and in the next 24 hours, she received a heart transplant that saved her life. Over the next nineteen years, because of complications resulting from the surgery, Renu continued to fight for her life every day. And every day, through the many battles she faced, she kept her mind sharp, her energy positive, and her face smiling.

So who was Renu Rani Rajput? She was the warrior queen who brought people together. To keep her spirit alive, we please ask that—in lieu of flowers—you make a donation to the University of Alberta Dialysis Unit. We are hoping to provide patients there with blankets, iPads, snacks, bus tickets, blanket warmers, and other items because that’s what Renu would have wanted.