Maneck S. Wadia, Del Mar, CA resident since 1965, beloved husband of Harriet for 60 years, devoted father of Sara and Mark, grateful for his son-in-law Michael Fascetti, loving grandfather of Ava and Jonathan and a good friend to many, passed away peacefully on Sunday April 2, 2023. He was born in Bombay, India on October 22, 1931, to Khan Bahadur Sorabji and Mrs. Manijeh (nee Pocha) Wadia. He grew up in a lively household with four brothers and two sisters. As a Parsi family they emphasized the Zoroastrian practice of “good thoughts, good words, good deeds”.
At the age of 21 in 1953, he came to Indiana University (IU) planning on one year of graduate school in America to then return to India. This plan changed quickly. He soon enrolled in a Ph.D. program, and in 1957 he met the love of his life, Harriet on a blind date at IU. Five years later in 1958 he had three degrees in hand (M.A., Ph.D. in Anthropology, M.B.A.) and was ready to launch his academic career with an appointment to the IU faculty. A Ford Foundation Fellowship brought him to the University of Pittsburgh in 1960 and then off to Stanford University to hold a faculty appointment in the School of Business where he also taught in the School of Anthropology. A scholar of management and human behavior, his publications ranged from culture to religion to leadership and across the many aspects of the behavioral sciences.
Maneck was 15 when India recognized its independence in August of 1947. Having spent his formative years in India during British rule, he became interested in acculturation. Motivated by the problems facing the rural peoples of India, he saw a parallel with colonization in the Americas and sought to study how “the White man’s culture has effected Tesuque.” He spent the summers during graduate school living on the Tesuque reservation, about 10 miles north of Sante Fe, New Mexico. He studied the culture through the lens of applied anthropology and sought to understand how “with the phenomenal change in the material aspects of their culture they still tenaciously cling to many of their old beliefs and their own language.” It was only because he described himself as a “true Indian” that the Tesuque leaders allowed Maneck to be the first from the outside world to live with them on the reservation. After completing his Ph.D. in Anthropology and an M.B.A., Maneck expanded this work in acculturation to organizational behavior.
Now married, Maneck and Harriet moved to Del Mar in 1965 where he established Wadia Associates. As a management consultant he lectured to over 10,000 executives, and advised over 100 organizations, including all branches of the US armed forces, law enforcement agencies and many Fortune 500 companies. By accident or by choice, he was a pioneer in many respects. Long before interdisciplinary scholarship was encouraged, he combined degrees in anthropology with the field of management. This enabled him to incorporate behavioral sciences into the field of management, which eventually morphed into organizational culture and leadership studies.
His philanthropy focused on education and opportunity and included gifts to Indiana University, University of California San Diego, the San Diego Symphony (where he was a board member for over two years), various medical institutions, charities in India, India House, Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship Fund and the Bishop’s School Summer Faculty Fund.
Maneck had a great love of children and they reciprocated in kind. Known as the baby whisperer, babies he did not know would jump into his arms in places like stores and restaurants, and on airplanes he was always happy to sit by a baby or a child.
As a Del Mar Citizen for 58 years he supported Del Mar politics and responsible development. Having raised his family in Del Mar, bringing friends and family, especially his grandchildren to the beloved Del Mar beach was a must. Camaraderie at Del Mar Community Connections and concerts at Powerhouse Park gave him great joy. The generous volunteers of Del Mar Community Connections enabled him to remain in his home. He treasured watching the beautiful Del Mar sunsets each night. His sense of humor and storytelling, which are reflected in his memoirs, remained intact and were enjoyed by family and friends right to the very end.
Maneck is predeceased by his parents, 5 siblings (Hoshang, Rattan, and Dinyar Wadia; Sherezade Nagarwalla; Khorshed Ezekiel), and 1 niece (Faranak Nagarwalla). He is survived by his wife (Harriet), children (Sara and Mark), grandchildren (Ava and Jonathan), older brother Pheroze Wadia as well as many nieces and nephews who live around the globe: Raina Imig; Jawahar and Gul Fraaz Ezekiel; Anna and Darius Wadia; and Sherna and Farokh Wadia.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Del Mar Community Connections, the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship Fund (San Diego Foundation; ATTN: Gifts Department, 2508 Historic Decatur Rd., Ste. 200; San Diego, CA 92106 directing the gift to SDIAS Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship for College Bound Students Fund #7514), or to the Wadia Family Overseas Scholarship (c/o of IU Foundation; P.O. Box 6460, Indianapolis, IN, 46206).
There will be no service, but we hope that you will do a good deed in his memory.
Remembrance provided by the Wadia family.
