Paul B. Courtright *75

Paul died Dec. 9, 2024, in Atlanta, at the age of 82.

He was born Aug. 12, 1942, in Nashville, Tenn. After graduating from Grinnell in 1964 with a B.A. in history, he spent a year serving as assistant rector at Ahmednagar College in Maharashtra, India, which laid the foundation for his love and study of that country. Upon his return he earned his M.Div. from Yale and a Ph.D. in religion from Princeton in 1975.

After holding academic positions at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Williams, in 1989, he joined Emory as chair of its religion department.

Paul published and taught on Hindu marriage, pilgrimage traditions, and the religious landscape of British colonial India. During his years as chair, he worked to expand Emory’s faculty and diversify its Graduate Division of Religion. He helped to found Emory’s Ph.D. program in West and South Asian religions. He was instrumental in strengthening the Emory-Tibet Partnership, which continues to flourish.

Paul is survived by his wife, Peggy; his children, Benjamin, Jonathan, Rachel, and David; eight grandchildren; and his brother Lee.

Graduate alumni memorials are prepared by the APGA.