Abhinav Kapur, a third-year medical student who dedicated his life and his studies to the service of others, died March 25 in Hyde Park. He was 24.

Kapur, who grew up in Prospect, Kentucky, graduated from Duke University in 2009 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering.

He was offered a spot in the class of 2013 at the Pritzker School of Medicine, where the admissions committee was particularly glad to hear of his acceptance, according to Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid Sylvia Robertson.

“I remember how excited and pleased admissions was when he chose us,” she said. “It’d been a real privilege to watch him grow here.”

Before and after matriculating at the U of C, Kapur strove to improve others’ lives, regardless of borders. “He came to us from Duke and had been involved in global health initiatives, and continued that here,” Robertson said. “He had a remarkable heart of service.”

Kapur also assisted free clinics through the Pritzker School, which places student volunteers at locations all over the city, often in collaboration with other Chicago-area medical schools.

Even with his accomplishments, Robertson said that Kapur always had a modesty about him that belied his talent. “He was remarkably bright. He always spoke with such energy about his leadership in the quiz bowl at Duke,” she said. “But what I remember most is his humility. He had no need for recognition.”

As with many third-year medical students, Robertson was unsure where Kapur’s education would take him. However, she is confident that he would have made a difference.

“It has been a profound loss and our community is grieving,” she said.