The AANMC is extremely saddened to share the news of the passing of Dr. Guru Sandesh Singh Khalsa. Dr. K, as many fondly addressed him, was a pillar of the naturopathic professional and academic communities and widely regarded by so many in the integrative health community. The lives of hundreds of ND graduates in the US and Canada were touched directly and indirectly through his decades of service to the profession.
Dr. Khalsa was a mentor to so many, and greatly responsible for helping mold the professional careers of naturopathic doctors across the US and Canada. His unexpected death leaves an enormous hole in our hearts. Our compassionate condolences are extended to his wife and loved ones.
Please see the following statement from the AANP which provides additional details on services and his family’s wishes. A memorial and chance for us all to honor his legacy will be forthcoming.
With a heavy heart,
AANMC Board of Directors
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AANP Statement
It is with our deepest sorrow that we share the news of the untimely loss of Dr. Guru Sandesh Singh Khalsa, who passed unexpectedly on Wednesday, August 11.
Dr. Khalsa was a pillar in the naturopathic community and his loss will be felt deeply. He embodied the teaching of naturopathic medicine, especially that of ‘docere.’ An erudite, Dr. Khalsa held degrees in physics from Occidental College and human biology from Kansas Newman College. He went on to graduate from National College of Naturopathic Medicine (now National University of Natural Medicine) in 1978. Dr. Khalsa touched the entire naturopathic profession from coast to coast as a professor, school President, an accreditor, administrator, leader, and as a beloved and respected colleague — both in the US and Canada. He was known as a steadying influence and a balanced thinker providing a voice of wisdom, calm, reason and passion.
Dr. Khalsa embodied servant leadership, serving on the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians of Directors, as well as the Institute for Natural Medicine. He was President of the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC), as well as President of NUNM and The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine – Boucher Campus, and Dean of the University of Bridgeport’s School of Naturopathic Medicine. He was also involved with professional accreditation, having served on the board of the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education and on accreditation site teams for both naturopathic and acupuncture programs. His dedication and commitment to the naturopathic profession goes unmatched; even his final days were in service to the profession, which became his extended family.
In the tradition of the Sikh faith, you are invited to honor his passing in a meditation ceremony to comfort his soul and ours, with 11-minutes of Guru Ram Das Meditation followed by Akal, August 11 through August 27, 2021 from 7:00 to 7:45 PM, PDT. Anyone interested in honoring his passing in the traditional Sikh ceremony, via Zoom or in person in Oregon, is invited to send us a private message for further details.
A more detailed tribute and possible memorial ceremony will be forthcoming. Flowers may be sent for any evening of the Guru Ram Das Meditation Ceremony, address by request. Please direct any questions to Laura Farr, AANP Executive Director, at laura.farr@naturopathic.org so that the family can focus on grieving and celebrating Dr. Khalsa’s life.
