Service honors Wharton junior

Last night, nearly 200 mourners gathered in the Hall of Flags in Houston Hall to honor the memory of Wharton junior Yash Kasbekar.

Kasbekar died in a car accident outside of Chicago, Ill. on New Year's Day, after the car in which he was a passenger was reportedly driven off the road and into an embankment.

The memorial service began with a brief opening remark by University Chaplain Rev. William Gipson.

In his introduction, Gipson spoke to the audience about the benefits of sharing their experiences with Kasbekar in order to comfort one another.

"We trust sincerely that what you hear here today will comfort each of you," Gipson said.

Wharton advisor Anita Henderson followed, expressing "profound grief for the loss of Yash." Breaking down midway through her remarks, she affectionately recalled through her tears the times Yash visited her office, never failing to greet her with a smile.

"I will always try to honor his memory by remembering what it means to greet someone with a smile," Henderson said.

The service continued with eulogies by Kasbekar's friends, who spoke warmly of the relationships they shared with him.

"If Yash had it his way, he'd have everyone in this room smiling and celebrating the time we spent with him," said College sophomore Shaun Lehrer, one of Kasbekar's housemates.

When Kasbekar transferred to Penn from Emory University before his sophomore year, he was given housing in Harnwell College House with three others, all of whom were already friends with each other, but were strangers to Kasbekar.

College junior Anthony Prousi, one of Kasbekar's Harnwell roommate, recalled hearing that Kasbekar had been placed in his suite, thinking at the time that this person who had been housed so late "must have had social problems." Instead, all three of Kasbekar's new roommates were pleasantly surprised, quickly becoming good friends with the newcomer.

"Yash looked for the good in everything and everyone, and he inspired me," Prousi said.

In his second semester at Penn, Kasbekar pledged the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, gaining yet another group of friends in his fraternity brothers, all of whom had fond memories to share.

"He was one of the happiest and most positive kids I've ever met," said Engineering junior Dmitry Koltunov, an SAE brother. "One quote that comes to mind is 'carpe diem,' seize the day, and that's how he lived his life."

Koltunov also expressed his feelings in song, strumming his guitar and singing "Waiting on an Angel" by Ben Harper.

Kasbekar was not only an SAE brother, but was also the newly elected InterFraternity Council executive vice president.

IFC President and College junior Conor Daly recalled through tears the moment he received the heartbreaking call on Jan. 3 from Kasbekar's sister, Lucky, informing him of the fatal car accident, and then having to call several of Kasbekar's friends and break the news.

"I told myself he's in a better place," Daly said, reminiscing about the two brief months they spent in office together and the fondness he had for Kasbekar.

At the start of the school year, Kasbekar moved into a house with 12 others, who he barely knew when they signed the lease only a few months earlier. Although Yash was a relative stranger, he befriended the others quickly, creating many memories with them throughout the semester.

College sophomore Adam Smith, one of Kasbekar's housemates, remembered spending late nights at the house, with Kasbekar running around campaigning for an order of wings.

"You could always count on him to get the hot wings," Smith said.

Kasbekar could also be counted on for musical entertainment, often singing Pearl Jam songs at the top of his lungs.

Smith ended his remarks on a somber note, commenting on how quickly death can come.

"One second you're here, and the next you're not," Smith said.

College sophomore Billy Bower recalled through tears a late night spent viewing a recent meteor shower with Kasbekar on the roof of their house.

"He never missed the opportunity to make a joke or help out when I needed it," Bower added. "We'll miss you, Yash."

Another housemate, Wharton sophomore Ravi Bellur, broke through the somber silence with a bit of humor.

"The thing I remember most is walking into my house, seeing him sitting on the couch, watching TV, reading a book and making fun of everyone," Bellur said. He continued by inviting the audience to participate in a rousing rendition of the song "'Yash' the Casbah," bringing a smile to the face of every member of the audience.

"Now, when I think about Yash, I can't help but smile because I know that wherever he is, he's smiling back," College sophomore Matt Hand said.

The service also included performances by a string quartet and campus a capella group, Off The Beat.

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