Three of their four children graduated from the University of Ottawa. Sadly, Navid (BA Psychology and Philosophy, Class of ’12), their second oldest, died tragically on December 4, 2014.
As the parents proudly recall the many qualities and interests of their late son, they describe a special young man who was a genuinely warm, kind-hearted, and generous person. From helping those in disadvantaged situations, to his volunteer work at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, “Navid was always looking for a way to give back,” said his parents. “He had a great heart and always strove for the well-being of others, the less fortunate in society.”
Navid believed that education and the pursuit of knowledge were among the highest callings of the human spirit. After completing his studies at uOttawa, he studied health care, nutrition, and how to become a personal trainer. He also had many diverse interests: he was an athlete, an excellent writer and artist, and he loved astronomy because he said it gave him a sense of hope for the future and a feeling that life’s hardships could be resolved.
To honour his memory and pay tribute to his life, the family has made an immediate gift to establish the Navid Imran Nasir Memorial Scholarship at the School of Psychology. They have also named the University of Ottawa as a residual beneficiary in their will in order to endow the scholarship.
Through this gift, Navid’s family not only hopes that his strength and spirit can be passed on to the recipients, but also that it will inspire students to uphold Navid’s core values, namely “the importance of being a good human, kindness, generosity, and understanding who needs help.” The couple also feels that this scholarship is a way of giving back to the community that welcomed them, adding “We came to Canada and we want to contribute in return for what we received here.”
The first recipient of their scholarship, Mariam Apilli, clearly embodies the family’s wishes. “Your family and Navid are an inspiration to us at the University of Ottawa because we share the common understanding that hope lives on and must continue to be passed on to others. I believe that Navid’s hope, strength, and generosity will continue to be passed on, and I personally strive daily to uphold the same standards,” she wrote in a thank you message.
The Tarafder-Nasir family continues to pay it forward: Navid’s legacy of kind gestures and aspirations will surely be carried on by current and future recipients of this scholarship.
"Navid loved university and was also very happy studying at the University of Ottawa. His loss was a big shock, but through this scholarship we can keep his memory alive,” said Mr. Nasir Tarafder and Mrs. Mahenur Nasir. The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to all the people and organizations who provided support and cooperation during that extremely difficult period.
