Obituary of Anjani Austin Soparkar Diggs

Anjani Austin Soparkar Diggs died peacefully at home on Mother’s Day surrounded by her loving family.

Anju was born in Stoneham, MA, to Pramod Motilal Soparkar and Beryl Adeline Berger Soparkar. Anju was the eldest of fourteen Soparkar children. Anju was a wonderful big sister, rallying her siblings for dress-up games, being bossy on road trips, and coordinating the chaos of living in a house with sixteen people (and often several dogs). In many ways, she was a second mother to her siblings.

Anjani was a lifelong dancer, joyfully choreographing and appearing in hundreds of performances throughout her life. She was particularly drawn to the ethos of modern dance and the beauty of natural movement. She also loved folk dance, contra, Scottish sword dance, and the Indian classical dance form Bharatanatyam. She was very proud of her Indian heritage.

Anju graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1982 with a major in Anthropology. During her first week of college, she met the love of her life, John Diggs. Together, they moved to California, where she worked in medical research, danced her heart out, made many lifelong friends, and played volleyball with a team that she playfully named the Big Bottom Women.

If you knew Anju, you know that she had a delightful sense of humor. She loved lighthearted pranks, silly surprises, and wide-open whole-heart laughter. She was also a true helper: Some of her jobs included 911 dispatcher and burn unit staff. With the spirit of help in her heart, Anju returned to Massachusetts in 1988 to earn a PhD in Psychology at UMass Amherst, graduating in 1998.

Anjani absolutely adored babies. She counseled and supported countless new mothers through pregnancy and postpartum, listening with rapt attention to their stories, helping them grow more confident in their parenthood, and reminding them to enjoy the beauty of every moment with their babies.

Anju had three babies of her own: Kimaya, Makeda, and Savita. She cherished every moment of motherhood. Beyond her love for the baby stage, she adored her daughters at every age, unfailingly holding space for every growing pain, and holding her children in light and love at all times. She did the same for as many of their friends as she could reach.

Anju was a passionate supporter and organizer of the arts, serving on the board and volunteering for the Young People’s Chorus, PVPA Charter School, Valley Light Opera, Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater, and many more organizations. Anju went above and beyond to support her children’s pursuit of the arts.

Anju started making pottery in 2017 and quickly became an avid potter, crafting hundreds of beautiful pieces with deep thought and intention, often alongside her mother or daughters. She loved making things with her hands—knitting, crocheting bracelets with seed beads, sewing dress-up clothes for her girls, and gardening.

She and her husband, John, were married for thirty years, together for forty-four loving years. The adventures they shared could fill volumes, and the depth of the love they built is unfathomable. They danced together, performed in shows together, traveled the world together, parented together, and worked tirelessly to manage her health together. Despite her cancer diagnosis, Anju was committed to keeping her life as normal as possible. Her family is grateful to those who supported her, and to Dr. Beverly Moy, Anju’s oncologist of twelve years.

Anju was hilarious, dramatic, and loved celebrating special occasions, so it is as fitting as it is tragic that she died on Mother’s Day. If she were here, she would flash a mischievous grin and say “je fais ce que je veux!” (“I do what I want!”) Her love was fierce and generous, her hugs tight and firm, her laugh beautifully soft and light. Anju was the pillar of her family, a true force of nature, tender, bold, and brilliant, and a joy to know and love.

The day she died was sunny and warm, with trees and bushes blooming in the yard of her home. After she passed, the sky opened up with rain, as if the world was crying.

Anjani is survived by her husband, John R. Diggs Jr. MD; daughters Kimaya, Makeda, and Savita Diggs; son-in-law Jacob Rosazza; parents Beryl and Pramod Soparkar; her parents-in-law; and 13 siblings, 8 siblings in-law, 26 nieces and nephews, five grand-nieces and -nephews, and countless other beloveds.  

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Anju's memory to Valley Light Opera, the community theater company that was very dear to her. www.vlo.org/donate