Aditya (Prasad) Pramod Mahajan

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Aditya (Prasad) Pramod Mahajan, 44, of Grimes, Iowa, who gently departed surrounded by loved ones after a brave, lengthy illness on June 17, 2025. He is survived by his parents, Pramod and Prachi (Kalpana) Mahajan of Grimes; his sister, Girija, and her husband Tom DelViscio, along with their children Esha (niece) and Nikhil (nephew) in Durham, NC; and extended family in the Midwest and India.

Born on July 2, 1980, in Shrirampur, India, Aditya was cherished from the start by many relatives. His family moved to the United States in August 1984, calling cities such as Kansas City, Columbia (SC), and Dickinson (TX) home before settling in Urbandale, IA, in August 1993. A dedicated student throughout his life, Aditya was deeply involved in musical theatre, band, soccer, and cross-country and graduated from Johnston High School in May 1998. He earned his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Iowa and went on to complete graduate studies in biotechnology at Middle Tennessee State University. A successful career followed as a clinical researcher with positions across Lincoln (NE), Denver (CO), and Des Moines (IA).

Outside of work, Aditya was passionate about soccer and college basketball, sci‑fi movies, exploring food scenes, and most importantly, spending quality time with friends and family.

A memorial service and cremation ceremony for Aditya will be held on Friday, June 20th from 3:00-5:00pm at the Merle Hay Funeral Home located at 4400 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines, IA 50310. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to National Public Radio (NPR) or your local affiliate. Aditya was a devoted NPR listener who never missed “Science Fridays” or “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” You can donate directly to the NPR network via their official sites. Your generosity will honor Aditya’s memory and support the programming he loved.