SC State remembers Dr. Suresh R. Londhe, architect of agribusiness programs

Londhe’s 40 years of service included building academic programs and expanding the university’s international reach. He died Wednesday at age 87.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State University is remembering Dr. Suresh R. Londhe, a longtime educator, researcher and academic leader whose four decades of service helped shape business and agribusiness education at the university.

“Dr. Suresh R. Londhe devoted more than 40 years of his life to the pursuit of knowledge, the advancement of agriculture and business education, and the empowerment of students,” said Dr. Matthew Guah, dean of SC State’s College of Business and Information Systems. “From his early academic beginnings at Louisiana State University to his long and impactful tenure at South Carolina State University, Dr. Londhe embodied excellence, integrity, and service.”

A native of in Pune, Maharashtra, India, Londhe died Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Irmo, South Carolina, at the age of 87. 

He earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Poona University in 1960. He came to the United States in 1961 and continued his education at Louisiana State University, where he earned a master’s degree in agronomy in 1962 and a doctorate in agricultural economics in 1965. 

After teaching at colleges in Arkansas, New York and Tennessee, Londhe began his long teaching and research career at SC State in 1969.

According to Guah, Londhe’s work touched teaching, research and community service, key components of the university’s land-grant mission.

Building agribusiness education at SC State

Among Londhe’s most enduring contributions was his role in developing SC State’s agribusiness programs.

Guah said Londhe led the creation of the university’s bachelor’s degree in agribusiness in 1983, followed by the master’s degree in 1985 and an MBA concentration in 2005.

Londhe also played a central role in reorganizing the Department of Business Administration into the School of Business and co-authored the proposal for SC State’s Bachelor of Science in Marketing program, Guah said.

Those programs opened opportunities for generations of students, many of whom went on to become leaders in their communities and professions.

Expanding SC State’s international reach

Londhe also worked to expand SC State’s participation in international agribusiness research, training and outreach.

According to his obituary, Londhe conducted six international research projects with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, including two in the Philippines and four in Indonesia. The projects provided opportunities for SC State faculty and students to explore the international dimensions of agribusiness.

One of his final projects before retirement involved other SC State faculty in a partnership with Tennessee State University and the Indian Institute of Management in Lucknow, India, with sponsorship from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

According to Guah, Londhe secured major national and international research grants and produced studies that strengthened agricultural development and rural economies. His scholarship resulted in more than 20 publications and technical reports. 

Leadership and service

During his SC State career, Londhe served as chair of the Agribusiness Program, interim dean of the College of Business & Applied Professional Sciences and director of the MBA Program, according to Guah.

He also contributed to major university committees, championing salary equity, strengthening research standards and helping shape tenure policies that supported faculty success.

Londhe retired from SC State on Jan. 1, 2006.

He is survived by his wife, Rajas; a daughter, Roshan; a son, Harshad; and three grandchildren.

Services were conducted Monday in Lexington, South Carolina.

Londhe leaves a legacy at SC State through the academic programs he helped build, the research he advanced and the generations of students and faculty influenced by his work. 

“His impact endures. His work lives on. And he will be greatly missed,” Guah said.