Sushil Kumar of Roslyn Heights: Numbers cruncher, joke teller

Sushil Kumar of Roslyn Heights was the kind of rock-solid financial guy that hundreds of people sought out over the decades to help them make critical choices in life — and decide how to pay for them.

He cast a dual image in some ways, said his wife, Prabha Krishnan, saying he was the cerebral numbers cruncher for clients at his firm, Trinity Tax and Financial Solutions, by day and the happy-go-lucky spinner of dad jokes by night. So pleased and sure of his comedic skills, he’d laugh loudly at his corny one-liners no matter whether anyone else found them funny.

Kumar, a native of India who believed in and achieved the American dream by founding a firm, writing books and receiving numerous awards for his service, is one of the thousands of New Yorkers to succumb to the novel coronavirus. He died April 14 at North Shore University Hospital.

He was 63.

“Sushil Kumar has impacted the lives of almost everyone he came across,” Krishnan said. “Sushil serviced a large portion of his client base for upwards of 5-10 years and was viewed by many of them as more than their personal accountant but truly as a life mentor, adviser, and close personal friend. His employees credited him with jump-starting their lives financially and personally as he supported them through various challenges in life.”

Kumar was born in Mumbai, India, on Feb. 16, 1957, the son of a banker and a homemaker.

He attended Don Bosco Primary School, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School and the University of Mumbai where he earned his bachelor's degrees in chemistry and law, as well as his chartered accountant degree.

He also earned a master's of business administration (MBA) from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila, Philippines, from 1984 to 1986. In 1987, he immigrated to the United States and lived in Woodside, Queens, until 1988, when he moved to Forest Hills. In 1989, he married Krishnan at a ceremony at the Hindu Temple Society of North America, in Flushing, Queens, and later became a certified public accountant.

The couple has two sons, Arjun and Arvind Kumar, both of Roslyn Heights, where the family has lived since 2003.

Relatives said Kumar was driven by a sense of purpose, and had a decisive way about him.

"Growing up, Sushil’s dream was to lead a successful life in the U.S.,” Krishnan said. “He pursued a career path that best allowed him to fulfill his American dream … Sushil was a hustler in the best sense of the word and would do whatever he needed to achieve his goals. He always put his loved ones ahead of his own happiness and loved making everyone smile around him.”  

Over the years, he enjoyed success in business and gave others advice by writing prolifically. He is the author of "Success in Incorporating Small Businesses (Twelve Cardinal Steps to Establish a Business in New York)," published in 2014, and "Winning Strategies to Triumph over Challenging Situations: Arm Yourself with Practical Tips, Warnings & Check Lists," published this year.

He had written special reports on the technology, dental, restaurant and real estate industries as well as women business owners, small business owners and nonprofit organizations.

Kumar was a member of the board of trustees of ASA College in Brooklyn and had received the King of Queens Award in 2014, a prestigious honor for local entrepreneurs in the borough. He was also a member of the Queens County Chamber of Commerce, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Association of Security Dealers, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Insurance Department. 

Besides his wife and sons, he is survived by a brother, S. Vijay Kumar of Mumbai and mother-in-law, Parvathy Krishnan of Roslyn Heights.

Funeral services were April 17 at Mangano Family Funeral Home in Deer Park. Donations may be made in his name to the Coalition for the Homeless. In the e-card section, address to Arjun Kumar, arjunkumar315@gmail.com.