Showbiz

RHONY star Jessel Taank heartbrokenly announces her father has died aged 68: ‘My hero’

RHONY star Jessel Taank heartbrokenly announces her father has died aged 68: ‘My hero’

The Real Housewives Of New York City star Jessel Taank heartbrokenly announced her father Kishor Taank has died at the age of 68.

She shared the news on her Instagram page on Friday, referring to him as ‘My Hero’ and ‘Our North Star’ and revealing he lived from May 1956 to February 2025.

Amid an album of throwback pH๏τos, Jessel paid tribute to her father’s international life, including his childhood in colonial Kenya with parents who came from India.

The post included pictures of Jessel and her brother Bobby as small children, cuddling cheerfully up to their father during their own upbringing in England.

Kishor was also pictured with his wife Nilam – Jessel’s mother – as well as with Jessel’s own husband Pavit Randhawa and their three-year-old twin sons.

‘If lust for life were a person, it would be my Dad,’ she wrote. ‘His adventurous spirit was rooted in his beloved Kisumu, Kenya, where he spun tales of his mischievous childhood – climbing banana trees, stirring up trouble.’

Jessel Taank heartbrokenly announced her father Kishor Taank's death aged 68; she is pictured with Kishor, as well as her husband Pavit Randhawa and one of their twin sons

Jessel Taank heartbrokenly announced her father Kishor Taank’s death aged 68; she is pictured with Kishor, as well as her husband Pavit Randhawa and one of their twin sons

Jessel is pictured in a publicity sH๏τ for The Real Housewives Of New York City

Jessel is pictured in a publicity sH๏τ for The Real Housewives Of New York City

She called him a ‘true Tarzan,’ describing him as ‘fiercely pᴀssionate’ and ‘Loyal to a fault,’ and adding that Kishor – who worked as a finance manager in the UK – ‘loved talking about money – ours, other people’s – always the finance guy.’

Jessel fondly recalled: ‘He interrogated us about our spending habits. “You have to save your money,” he warned. “But that’s not fun,” I’d argue. “Being broke isn’t fun,” he’d counter. We never listened.’ 

Read More Real Housewives Of New York City star Rebecca Minkoff reveals her future with the reality series article image

She lovingly described her mother as ‘the Cindy Crawford to his bald Richard Gere’ and gushed that her parents ‘built a life of family, travel, and laughter.’

Kishor and Nilam, wrote Jessel, were ‘my best friends – crazy, spontaneous, a little nuts,’ to the point her friends remarked: ‘Your parents don’t act like parents.’

Jessel, the first New York City Housewife of Indian descent, shared: ‘My love for India and my culture came from him. He called it “my India,” the land of his parents.’

Name-checking two singing stars of classic Hindi cinema, she wrote: ‘He was obsessed with old-school Bollywood – Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh. Because of him, I know all the words.’

She then turned her attention to Indian desserts, dishing that her father’s ‘guilty pleasure was a warmed gulab jamun with gajar halwa,’ before adding: ‘India was his happy place. He immersed himself in its DNA.’

Jessel added: ‘My dad always turned to face the sun in pictures. Now, he’s in the very light he basked in. It’s easy to be overcome by sadness, but sadness only serves our own selfish purpose. Instead, we move forward with graтιтude. I’m so grateful you were my dad. We would choose you every time.’ 

The post included pictures of Jessel and her brother Bobby as small children, cuddling cheerfully up to their father during their own upbringing in England

The post included pictures of Jessel and her brother Bobby as small children, cuddling cheerfully up to their father during their own upbringing in England

Kishor was also pictured with his wife Nilam - Jessel's mother, whom she lovingly referred to as 'the Cindy Crawford to his bald Richard Gere'

Kishor was also pictured with his wife Nilam – Jessel’s mother, whom she lovingly referred to as ‘the Cindy Crawford to his bald Richard Gere’

Kishor and Nilam, wrote Jessel, were 'my best friends – crazy, spontaneous, a little nuts,' to the point her friends remarked: 'Your parents don't act like parents'

Kishor and Nilam, wrote Jessel, were ‘my best friends – crazy, spontaneous, a little nuts,’ to the point her friends remarked: ‘Your parents don’t act like parents’

Jessel, the first New York City Housewife of Indian descent, shared: 'My love for India and my culture came from him,' adding: 'He called it “my India,” the land of his parents'

Jessel, the first New York City Housewife of Indian descent, shared: ‘My love for India and my culture came from him,’ adding: ‘He called it “my India,” the land of his parents’

Jesse remembered that her father, who is pictured as a young man in Italy, 'always turned to face the sun in pictures'

Jesse remembered that her father, who is pictured as a young man in Italy, ‘always turned to face the sun in pictures’

Her announcement was met with warm messages from her fellow Real Housewives Of New York City Ubah Hᴀssan, Jenna Lyons and Sai De Silva

Her announcement was met with warm messages from her fellow Real Housewives Of New York City Ubah Hᴀssan, Jenna Lyons and Sai De Silva

Her announcement was met with warm messages from her fellow Real Housewives Of New York City Ubah Hᴀssan, Jenna Lyons and Sai De Silva.

‘Jessel!’ wrote Ubah. ‘My heart aches for you and your family. May Allah surround you with strength, comfort, and peace, guiding you through this difficult time.’

‘So beautiful Jessel,’ wrote Jenna, as Sai chimed in that she was ‘Sending you so much love my girl,’ amid the flood of condolences in Jessel’s comments.

Jessel has spoken about her family background before, explaining: ‘My family came to London from Kenya, they were a part of the mᴀssive diaspora born out of political unrest and were forced to leave and start their lives over again,’ to Vogue India. 

The Indian community in Kenya – which had been brought over by the British during the colonial era – was depleted by a major exodus in the 1960s and 1970s after being targeted by the ‘Africanization’ policies of the new independent government.

Jessel joined the Real Housewives Of New Jersey for the 14th season in 2023, as part of the controversial first full-cast reboot.

The previous season had received a brutal reception from fans – overshadowed by controversies such as woke star Ebony K. Williams’ political clashes with her castmates – after which the entire cast was replaced.

Related Posts

BBC Breakfast undergoes major shake-up as show finishes early with Saturday Kitchen also shifting schedules

BBC Breakfast undergoes major shake-up as show finishes early with Saturday Kitchen also shifting schedules

BBC Breakfast was cut short on Saturday as part of a major scheduling shake-up.  The programme, which typically runs until 10am, wrapped at 9:30am, triggering knock-on effects for…

A Place In The Sun’s Scarlette Douglas, 37, reveals powerful reason why freezing her eggs was the ‘best thing’ she’s ever done

A Place In The Sun’s Scarlette Douglas, 37, reveals powerful reason why freezing her eggs was the ‘best thing’ she’s ever done

Scarlette Douglas has revealed the powerful reason behind her decision to freeze her eggs, admitting it was the ‘best thing’ she’s ever done.  The A Place in the…

Olly Murs confesses he broke down in tears a few months after the birth of his daughter as he was forced to leave her just two days after her birth

Olly Murs confesses he broke down in tears a few months after the birth of his daughter as he was forced to leave her just two days after her birth

Olly Murs candidly confessed he broke down in tears a few months after the birth of his daughter after he was forced to leave her just two days…

Love Island’s Mary Bedford puts on a very busty display in a plunging white mini dress as she joins stylish Catherine Agbaje at Sabrina Carpenter concert in Manchester

Love Island’s Mary Bedford puts on a very busty display in a plunging white mini dress as she joins stylish Catherine Agbaje at Sabrina Carpenter concert in Manchester

Love Island’s Mary Bedford and Catherine Agbaje turned heads as they arrived at Sabrina Carpenter’s concert in Manchester on Friday. Mary, 25, put on a very busty display…

Kristina Rihanoff throws herself into work as she attends dance compeтιтion with daughter Mila amid split from Ben Cohen as couple face major financial troubles

Kristina Rihanoff throws herself into work as she attends dance compeтιтion with daughter Mila amid split from Ben Cohen as couple face major financial troubles

Kristina Rihanoff is throwing herself back into her work in the wake of her split from fiancé Ben Cohen.     The former Strictly Come Dancing star, 47, and the ex-rugby player,…

Mark Wright is overcome with emotion as he reveals fatherhood is his ‘biggest achievement’ and pays special tribute to ‘superhero’ wife Michelle Keegan

Mark Wright is overcome with emotion as he reveals fatherhood is his ‘biggest achievement’ and pays special tribute to ‘superhero’ wife Michelle Keegan

Mark Wright was overcome with emotion as he opened up about becoming a new dad as he described it as the ‘biggest achievement’ of his life.  The former…