Munjot Sahu

Munjot Sahu—beloved mother, wife, and daughter, successful attorney, and valued member of the Zionsville community—died unexpectedly on February 20, 2023. She was 39.

Munjot was born in the Hyde Park area of Chicago on February 10, 1984, and moved to Greencastle, Indiana, in 1988 when both her parents became faculty at DePauw University. As a child, Munjot became a proud big sister, and was active in 4-H. Munjot moved to Indianapolis in 1997, where she attended Ben Davis High School and was a powerhouse on the school’s debate team; she participated in the National Debate and Speech Tournament.

Munjot subsequently matriculated at Oberlin College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in politics, with honors. She made several lifelong friends there, and accumulated a catalogue of stories about the quirky campus life. Munjot considered pursuing graduate studies in politics but ultimately decided to attend law school, enrolling at the Indiana University School of Law, in Bloomington where she graduated cum laude.

Soon after earning her JD, Munjot joined the law firm of Baker & Daniels (now Faegre Drinker), in the business litigation practice. Litigation was her professional passion, and she worked on high-profile cases, including representing Marsh Supermarkets in a lawsuit against its former CEO. Munjot next became in-house counsel at Eli Lilly and Company in its litigation group, after which she joined Roche, as Senior Counsel in Diabetes Care. Munjot published numerous articles in legal publications, served on the American Bar Association’s Mass Torts Litigation Committee, and was a member of Lawyers for Civil Justice.

Munjot set and attained high professional goals, but above all she was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. She met James Updike in 2014. They took their first vacation together that summer, to Washington, DC, and Munjot first got to see and make fun of her companion’s packing habits, which involved fully utilizing the airline’s free baggage for service members benefit. Munjot and James became engaged in 2015 at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, and they were married May 21 and 22, 2016, with dual ceremonies at Zionsville United Methodist Church and the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana.

In 2019, Munjot gave birth to her son, Kieran, whom she covered in an immeasurable amount of love, giving everything she had to make him feel loved, happy, and healthy.

Munjot was a diligent planner who poured her heart into every pursuit, from wedding planning to designing her house to researching the safest car seat and even the best grass trimmer. As Munjot and her husband built a life together in Zionsville, she constantly went above and beyond to make life wonderful for other people. Decorating and design were among Munjot’s top interests, and she relished putting these passions to use making a home for her family. She frequently said she someday wanted to start a design and home staging business.

Munjot was very involved in her community, most recently serving as a trustee for the Tarkington Civic Theatre in Carmel. She was previously a board member of the Scene at the Palladium in Carmel. She gave back to the community through pro bono work on guardianship cases and with the Wills For Heroes program. Munjot and her family attend Gurdwara Gur Nanak Darbar and Zionsville United Methodist Church.

Munjot is survived by her husband, James Updike, her son, Kieran Updike, her parents, Sunil Sahu and Indu Vohra, and her sister, Punita Sahu.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the following organizations:

• Tarkington Civic Theatre (https://www.civictheatre.org/)
• NAMI Indiana (https://www.namiindiana.org/) – Mental health support was a passion for Munjot, who took an interest in NAMI Indiana and was considering board membership, although this was put on hold during the COVID -19 pandemic.
• Gurdwara Sikh Satsangh of Indianapolis (https://gurdwarasikhsatsang.org/)
• Gurdwara Gur Nanak Darbar (https://www.facebook.com/GurdwaraPlainfield/)

A Memorial Service will be held for Munjot, Saturday, March 11, from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm, at Flanner Buchanan – Hamilton Memorial Park (Prairie Waters), 4180 Westfield Road, Westfield, IN. Visitation will begin at 12:00 pm until time of service. Path and Antam Ardas will be held from 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm while Munjot’s last rites will be held privately with her family.