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Prior days' news: By date | Search This week's print issue Back issues: By date | Search April 19, 2007Minal PanchalAmong the American things Minal Panchal loved was Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, which takes its name from the young narrator’s lesson that it is a sin to take the life of an innocent being. Ms. Panchal, 26, is being remembered in her native Mumbai, India, and at Virginia Tech for her gentleness, dry wit, and willingness to help people. Friends affectionately called her “Minu,” and children from her Mumbai neighborhood saw her as someone they could turn to for help with their schoolwork, according to news reports.  Orkut.com A determined and bright student, Ms. Panchal had made the long journey from India to Virginia Tech to train to be an architect, like her father. She enrolled last August as a first-year student in the university´s graduate program in architecture. In her blog, Ms. Panchal listed architecture and nature among her passions in life. She also enjoyed sketching, “talking to friends any place any time,” and reading, especially Harry Potter. Friends posted comments about Ms. Panchal on their bloggers’ network while she was alive. “She has a nice caring nature toward her friends and enjoys her life to the fullest,” said one. A longtime friend back in India wrote, “I really miss her, as she is quite far now.” —Peter Schmidt Posted on Thursday April 19, 2007 | Permalink | |