Dr. Aruna Bhuta's Lifelong Journey of Service, Community, & Connection!

For more than 40 years, Aruna Aunty—as we all lovingly call her—has called Spokane home, dedicating her time and energy to building a stronger, more welcoming community through service, compassion, and collaboration.

Dr. Bhuta, a PhD Microbiologist, immigrated to the United States in 1971 to pursue graduate studies. She worked in the field for 13 years before relocating to Spokane in the 1980s. She worked with families with children with special healthcare needs for 20 years. Dr. Bhuta has devoted much of her volunteer work to initiatives that improve the lives of older adults and individuals with disabilities. Following her retirement, she returned briefly to the classroom, teaching microbiology at the community college. Throughout her career and retirement, she has remained committed to lifelong learning and public service.

She has contributed to local and statewide initiatives focused on dementia awareness, elder well-being, fall prevention, brain injury awareness, long-term care, and health insurance education. Her service has included work with Aging & Long-Term Care of Eastern Washington, the Fall Prevention Coalition, the Brain Injury Alliance of Washington, SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Advisors), Dementia Friendly Spokane, AARP advocacy, and Public Radio. She currently serves on the legislative committee and Healthcare Workgroup of the Retired Public Employees Council (RPEC), advocating on issues affecting retired public employees throughout Washington.

Her commitment to education and community engagement began decades earlier through service on the Spokane School District 81 Special Education Advisory Committee and the Developmental Disabilities County Board during the 1980s and 1990s, where she helped support children, families, and individuals with developmental disabilities.

Aruna Aunty is also a respected community member within Spokane's Hindu community and a passionate advocate for interfaith understanding. Through cultural celebrations and community conversations, she has helped create opportunities for people of different faiths and backgrounds to learn from one another and build lasting relationships. Her belief that service transcends cultural and religious differences has guided her community involvement for decades.

She has served on the Board of Directors of Refugee & Immigrant Connections Spokane (RICS). She has also served on the boards of the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition (now ACL Spokane) and the League of Women Voters of Spokane, while remaining active with the League at both the state and local levels.

Whether volunteering at community events, participating in nonprofit leadership, or engaging in civic initiatives, Dr. Bhuta brings people together with warmth, humility, and an unwavering commitment to the common good.

Among many things, she enjoys her creative pursuits, such as singing and writing. She participated in a Senior writing workshop as part of an EWU Master of Fine Arts program at a local library, which sparked her interest in writing poetry. She continues to write poetry as another expression of her lifelong creativity. Check out here - https://www.spokanepublicradio.org/show/poetry-moment/2026-07-06/aruna-bhuta-reads-new-phase

Reflecting on a lifetime of service, Aruna Aunty believes that volunteering gives back even more than it asks. It has allowed her to continue learning, build lasting friendships, and use her time in meaningful ways. She credits her parents, teachers, mentors, and the many community leaders who encouraged her throughout her life with nurturing her openness to new experiences. But most importantly, her life partner - “Prakash’s unwavering support for the last 55 years has been immensely helpful. My belief that I am not doing anything, I am just an instrument of God doing what needs to be done, and when challenges come in life, asking God for guidance and courage to face them, has really helped me”.

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This article is based on my conversation with Dr. Bhuta, has been approved by her, and is supported by these references:

• Washington State Council on Aging, where meeting records document her contributions to statewide discussions on healthy aging, dementia-friendly communities, and advocacy for older adults.

• The Spokesman-Review covered her participation in programs organized by the Interfaith Council of the Inland Northwest that promote dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among Spokane's diverse faith communities.

• Aging & Long-Term Care of Eastern Washington, recognizing her leadership and service on regional planning and advisory efforts supporting older adults throughout Eastern Washington.

• The Fig Tree, which featured her in its Meet the Neighbor series, highlighting her personal journey, Hindu faith, and lifelong commitment to community service.