Role:
In Memoriam
Nadesan (“Nad”) Permaul (Berkeley BA, 1972, MA 1973, PhD 1990)
Nadesan (“Nad) Permaul, a much-adored lecturer in the Rhetoric department for many years, unexpectedly passed this May (2025). At the time, he was pursuing his favorite summer activity, a Cal Discoveries Travel cruise along the Rhine & Moselle rivers. Those of us from Rhetoric who had the pleasure to know Nad will remember him as one of the kindest spirits to walk our department halls. Unbeknownst to most of us, Nad had a long list of hidden talents and an equally long record of service to the University, for which he he was the recipient of the 2025 Berkeley Citation.
As Kirk Tramble, Interim Executive Director of the Cal Alumni Association has written,
Nad’s loss is deeply felt by our alumni community, as his contributions to UC Berkeley and CAA were extraordinary. Many of you knew Nad personally and remember the passion he brought to every role. He served as President of the Cal Alumni Association from 2003 to 2005. He was also a longtime Berkeley professor, teaching for over 25 years in the departments of Rhetoric, Sociology, and Political Science. Nad remained closely involved with Cal in many other capacities - he was a dedicated campus administrator and a proud Berkeley parent (he and Linda’s son, Kiran, graduated from Cal in 2014).
Nad’s dedication to Berkeley extended to his philanthropy and leadership. As a donor, he and Linda endowed a scholarship through CAA’s Achievement Award Program and even included UC Berkeley in their estate plans to support future students. In recognition of his lifetime of service and impact, Nad was honored earlier this year with the 2025 Berkeley Citation, one of the university’s highest honors.
Nad’s passing is a tremendous loss for all of us. His warmth, wisdom, and unwavering devotion to Berkeley touched countless lives, and he will be deeply missed by our board and the broader Cal family. Please keep Nad’s family in your thoughts during this difficult time.
Nad was extremely generous, having donated to honorable causes on campus, especially in the name of students and student organizations that supported first-generation students, as he was himself, including The Achievement Award Program that is run by the California Alumni Association.
Nad will be much missed by us all.
—Jim Porter, Chair, Rhetoric Department