MISSOURI CITY , TX (TIP): In the heart of Texas, a vibrant elementary school has been named after an Indian American trailblazer educationist Sonal Bhuchar with a dedication ceremony Sunday, October 15, celebrating her profound impact on the community. The school was named after Bhuchar by a unanimous decision of the Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) Board of Trustees. Sonal Bhuchar Elementary, nestled in the heart of Missouri City, Texas, celebrating Bhuchar, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 58 due to complications from cancer, opened its doors in August. The school website describes “our namesake” Bhuchar, a former FBISD trustee as “a tireless servant with a long history of community leadership.”
Bhuchar is described as a trailblazer in Fort Bend County and a leader in the field of education. After her long association with the Fort Bend Education Foundation, Bhuchar was elected to the FBISD Board of Trustees for six years and served as the Board President for two years.
Bhuchar was appointed to the One Star National Service Commission Board by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in 2015.
Up until her passing, she was actively involved as a board member with the Child Advocates of Fort Bend and Parks, Art, Recreation, Culture, and Streetscapes (PARCS).
She was a board member for the Literacy Council of Fort Bend, ACCESS Health, Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation, Sugar Land Heritage, the Indo-American Charity Foundation and the Texas Medical Association Alliance.
During her tenure with the District, Bhuchar spearheaded many efforts including chairing the WATCH program (a healthy lifestyle education program for elementary school students), developing the concept for the Fort Bend Education Foundation’s annual International Festival to promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the District, the Student Leadership Program and the Legislative Advocacy Program.
Bhuchar’s journey began in Mumbai, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Mumbai University. In 1984, she and her physician husband, Dr Subodh Bhuchar, embarked on a new chapter by immigrating to Houston, Texas.
The school’s mascot, a majestic Bengal tiger named Royal, proudly embodies Bhuchar’s Indian heritage. The acronym ROYAL, which stands for Resilient, Optimistic, Youthful, Admirable, and Leader, captures the very essence of her legacy.
A mural on a wall in the school has her image with a quote that guided her life, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Glowing tributes were paid by the speakers at the dedication ceremony, highlighting the contribution of Bhuchar in the community and how she encouraged them to serve for the betterment of the needy in the community.
Consul General of India D.C. Manjunath gifted the elementary school special books on India. Bhuchar’s children gave an emotional speech about the lessons learned from their mother, and how she spent hours volunteering the community causes without any expectations in return as she believed in doing things for good without an ego.