Braj B. Kachru 84 of Urbana died at 2:30 p.m. Friday, July 29, 2016 at home.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, July 31, 2016 at the Renner-Wikoff Chapel and Crematory, Urbana.

Professor Kachru was born on May 15, 1932 in Srinagar Kashmir, India, the son of Damodar Das and Sati Mattoo Kachru. He married Yamuna Keskar; she died on April 19, 2013.

Survivors include one daughter; Amita Kachru of San Francisco, California, one son; Shamit Kachru of Palo Alto, California, one brother; Hriday Nath Dhar and three grandchildren; Sasha, Ila and Olivia.

He was preceded in death by two brothers and two sisters. Professor Kachru was Center for Advanced Study Professor of Linguistics and Jubilee Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois.

He was a member of the Indian Cultural Society, The Linguistic Society of America and the founder of the International Association of World Englishes.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kachru Fund for Linguistic Scholarship at the University of Illinois Foundation.

Condolences may be offered at www.rennerwikoffchapel.com.