Dr. Jan Mangalat

It is with extreme sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Jan Mangalat. Jan was deeply devoted to his family, friends and his true passion: medicine. He was a brilliant and kind man and will be sorely missed by so many. Jan passed away peacefully and surrounded by love on October 20, 2022 after a heroic battle following an injury in late August. Jan was born on May 22, 1936 in Payyannur, Kerala, India. As a young man, he witnessed firsthand the health struggles of his father and uncle, sparking his interest in medicine. He attended Madras Medical College, where he happened upon an advertisement recruiting doctors to the United States. Following his instincts, he arrived in the US in the winter of 1961. He completed his medical training in New York City where he solidified his specialty, nephrology. When he met the love of his life, Kallianikutty Menon, his career was just taking off. They were soon married and started their lifelong journey. Together, they traveled the world, hosted wonderful social gatherings, and created a loving home with their three children. This past year, Jan and Kalliani celebrated 62 years of marriage! Jan and his family moved to Arizon...[more]

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n 1973. While Jan knew no one from this state and there were very few people of Indian descent at the time, he somehow "knew" this was where he wanted to put down his roots to raise his family and launch his career. As usual, he had incredible foresight. This coupled with his unwavering determination laid the groundwork for a life that surpassed his dreams both personally and professionally. Wanting to stay connected to their Indian culture, Jan, Kalliani and the few other Indian "pioneers" created the India Association of Phoenix (IAPHX), where he was installed as its first President. What started as a small group quickly blossomed, and the association now boasts over 25,000 members! He was also active in the Arizona Malayalee Association, Kerala Hindus of North America (KHNA), and the Association of Kerala Medical Graduates (AKMG). Dr. Mangalat's career began and ended at Maricopa County Hospital where he was well respected as a teacher and mentor and was voted "Best Teacher" by his residents on more than one occasion. In 1978, he co-founded the Arizona Kidney Disease and Hypertension Center (AKDHC), which is now the largest of its kind in the world. He also consulted for the nephrology department at Mayo Hospital where many of his former students now practice and/or lead departments of their own. He only recently retired from medicine at the age of 81. The only competition for Jan's love for medicine was that for his family and wide circle of friends. After he retired, he would often be found on the phone talking to those for whom he cared most, listening and offering sage counsel. He was immensely proud of his children and his grandchildren and was not shy to express it. In his final days, he was often reminiscing on family memories and making plans to create more in the future. Jan was an avid learner and never went a day without absorbing knowledge about one subject or another. Whether through books, travels, conversation, or the news, Jan was constantly styling himself a student of the world. Some of his favorite subjects were world and U.S. history, travel, nature and wildlife, politics, and global news. His love of learning manifested in one of Jan's proudest acts - establishing the Kunhiyoor Narayan Kurup endowment award. This scholarship funds the education of two high school students annually in his hometown of Payyannur and is in honor of his father. Jan is survived by his wife, Kalliani, his son, Rosh, his daughter Laja (Paul) Thompson, his daughter, Preya (Amir) Patel and his grandchildren, Mira, Dylan and Laika. He is also survived by several siblings, nieces and nephews. A "Celebration of Life and Memorial Service'' will be held on Friday, October 28th at Hansen Mortuary located at 6500 East Bell Road in Scottsdale. Viewing will take place at 9:00 am and the service will promptly begin at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to the Mayo Clinic as a tribute in his memory. Donations can be made at https://philanthropy.mayoclinic.org/donateMC. Please visit the tributes tab for the livestream link.