Akkamamba Devi Nutakki

On May 5, 2025, Akkamamba Devi Nutakki passed away in Orlando, Florida after a 6-month hard fought battle with cancer. Ultimately, she went peacefully, surrounded by loving family. Devi was a kind soul, often found with a smile on her face. She was deeply loyal, and showed she cared through doing things for the ones she loved. She was carefree and fun, with a sharp wit and a twinkle in her eye when spending time with those important to her. Never wanting to be the center of attention, she somehow always found a way to make sure you knew her opinion or to get her way (no one said stubborn!). And she was quietly competitive - always very happy to beat you at a board game or take your money playing gin rummy. She wore a lot of hats and meant a lot of different things to a lot of people, reflected in all of the affectionate ways she was referred - Papa, Amma, Ammamma, Nani, Ninamma, Atha, Pini, Auntie, Didi, Pancake Ninamma and Devi Garu to name a few. She had a special gift in seeing people for who they are and connecting with them in a direct and unique way. Born Akkamamba Devi Yelamarthi on October 15, 1942 to Yelamarthi Satyanarayana and Yelamarthi Narayanamma (Mullipudi), Devi was the youngest of 10 siblings born and raised in and around Dommeru (Andhra Pradesh), India. In May of 1960, Devi married Nutakki Gouri Sankara Rao in Dommeru, India. She remained in India for the next 4 years while Rao was pursuing his graduate degrees in Pharmacy in the United States, before ultimately joining him in Fargo, ND in 1964. You would never know it from talking to her, but she was a trailblazer - maybe the first Indian born person to brave a Fargo winter in a sari? Devi and Rao spent 30 wonderful years in Fargo, where they raised their 3 children - Sinu (1968), Swati (1969) and Ranga (1973). After a number of years raising her kids, Devi started working at Nokomis Day Care Center in 1980, sharing her gift of being able to connect with young children. During their time in Fargo, Devi and Rao cultivated a number of important friendships and were a foundation to a healthy and growing Indian community in Fargo, serving as a support system for so many Indian students coming to NDSU whether they needed guidance or just an occasional home cooked meal to cure homesickness. In 1993, the recent empty-nesters moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where they spent the next 17 years of their life. They quickly made many new lifelong friendships and enjoyed their time experiencing warmer winters in the American Southwest. Both retired from their respective professions while in Albuquerque, and used the opportunity to start splitting time in their homeland of India. In 2010, Devi and Rao moved to Orlando, Florida where their eldest son Sinu and his family lived. Orlando was their final home base in the U.S., continuing to split time between Orlando, Hyderabad, India, and Minneapolis, Minnesota where Swati and Ranga lived. The retirement years were filled with travel and spending time with extended family and the many friends they had made over the years. In 2016, Devi lost her partner of 56 years when Rao passed away in Hyderabad, India after a 5 year battle with primary progressive aphasia. This was a difficult period for her, but after several years of caring for Rao in his declining health, she started to embrace a growing independence in her life emphasized by continuing to travel and spending time with her children, grandchildren, extended family and friends. This included discovering the simplicity and comfort of “western” clothes as compared to a traditional sari for the first time at the age of 80! Devi is survived by her 3 children and 4 grandchildren: Sinu and his wife Mona, and their children Mira (17) and Aman (15) of Orlando, Florida; Swati Cerise and her husband Jay, and their children Nico (20) and Divya (18) of Edina, Minnesota; and Ranga of Fargo, North Dakota. Devi is further survived by her sister, Bapayamma Koduri of Kovvur (Andhra Pradesh), India and many loving nieces and nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband N.G.S. Rao, and 8 siblings: her 4 brothers - Narayana Rao Choudry, Venkat Rayudu, Venkat Rao and Atchutharamana - and 4 sisters, Saraswathi, Padmavati, Annasuya, and M. Ravanamma. In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a donation to the Hindu Society of Central Florida at https://orlandohindutemple.org/

Akkamamba Devi Nutakki

October 15, 1942 - May 5, 2025