April 27, 2026
Looking back, Nirmal B. Kathuria, MD, believes she was meant to practice at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital; there were always higher forces at play.
Her journey first took her from India to Ohio, determined to become an OBGYN, but finding herself caring for psychiatric patients due to a critical need. That led to offers from Boston, only for a friend in Litchfield County to run interference and recruit her to rural northwest Connecticut.
Finally, in 1978, she arrived to accept her first position at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. She paused in the lobby, drawn to two portraits hanging on the wall. They were Uri and Charlotte Hungerford.
“I read their story about donating the hospital to the community,” Dr. Kathuria recalls. “In that moment, I thanked them for what they had done and promised I wouldn’t let them down, that I would do my best to improve what they had done.”
Nearly five decades later, that quiet promise shaped a remarkable career. As a distinguished physician, Chief of Psychiatry, and President of the Medical Staff, Dr. Kathuria has left an enduring mark on both the hospital and the community it serves.
Now a longtime local resident, Dr. Kathuria’s connection with Charlotte Hungerford extends beyond her role as a physician.
“I wasn’t just a physician, I was a consumer too,” says Dr. Kathuria. “It’s good for residents to have Charlotte Hungerford Hospital close to home. It has most of the services that you need, and now that it’s part of Hartford HealthCare, patients have even better access to care.”
Throughout her career, the hospital became more than a workplace; it became a family. Surrounded by supportive colleagues and forward-thinking leaders, Dr. Kathuria was given the freedom to innovate, from conducting home visits to hosting community forums on mental health.
“Charlotte Hungerford is where I grew up…I am very thankful for the many opportunities the hospital gave me,” she says. “Many colleagues and leaders helped me, including Alan Marinaccio, MSW, who led outpatient services, and former CEOs John Nicklas and Robert Summa. They were each very supportive. It’s a blessing to have good people in your life.”
Today, Dr. Kathuria continues to give back as a Corporator. She and her husband, Minesh Kathuria, were inducted into the 1916 Society after including Charlotte Hungerford in their estate planning, and the couple made a significant gift in support of the hospital’s Rural Residency Program, which prepares future family medicine and psychiatry physicians to care for rural communities.
Pictured Above: Minesh and Dr. Nirmal Kathuria were inducted into the 1916 Society in Fall 2025 during the group’s annual reception.
“This was important for us,” says Dr. Kathuria. “It’s about giving back, because the hospital gave so much to us. With the Rural Residency Program, we hope physicians will become attached to the area and stay. Like I did. When I came, I never left.”
“Charlotte Hungerford Hospital is fortunate to have colleagues like Dr. Kathuria, who not only improve care in our region through their compassion and expertise, but strengthen the future of healthcare through their leadership and philanthropic support,” said Debbie Bender, Director of Philanthropy, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. “We are thankful to both Dr. Kathuria and Minesh for their lasting contributions to northwest Connecticut, as well as their generous support of our Rural Residency Program.”
Click here to learn more about our 1916 Society and Planned Giving at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital