Business Journal real estate reporter Parimal M. Rohit, who also penned a sports business column for the publication, died Oct. 7 from a heart attack. He was 48.
“Parimal’s death was sudden and a shock to all on our staff,” said Peter J. Brennan, editor in chief of the Business Journal. “He is missed by everyone at the Business Journal.”
Rohit was born in Southern California to Indian immigrant parents and graduated from UCLA—an education that defined him. He was a Bruin through and through.
He studied law before turning his energy to journalism, where his 20-year career in the media was versatile. He worked for a string of publications from the Basketball Beat to Pasadena Now to Santa Monica’s Mirror Media Group. His friendly, conversational interviewing skills brought him face-to-face with everyone from real estate titans to Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. He even interviewed then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama during a 2007 presidential campaign fundraiser—a framed newspaper clip that he proudly displayed at his Business Journal desk.
“Parimal was a storyteller who didn’t just chase headlines but sought truth and meaning,” said his cousin, Disha Chauhan. “He believed journalism wasn’t about noise or notoriety, but about connection, advocacy, and community. He wrote to illuminate, to understand, to make people feel seen.”
USC Annenberg gave the award-winning journalist a six-month fellowship as a Health Reporting Fellow, where he wrote an in-depth series on “diabetes as a pandemic” impacting the South Asian American community.
The coverage was published by India-West, one of the largest Indian American newspapers in the United States. Before the Business Journal, he spent four years in Texas, working for the Austin Business Journal and CoStar Group.
Rohit is survived by his mother Bharati Rohit, sister Mona and brother-in-law Ameet as well as his niece, Aria and nephew Milan.
At the Business Journal for a year, Parimal left quite an impression, as evidenced by the following tributes from our staff:
A Mentor with an Inspiring Work Ethic
As I walked into the office on my first day in January, I was excited, nervous and anxious. When I shook Parimal’s hand for the first time, I felt like something clicked between us. During one of our meetings to get to know each other, he mentioned, “I want you to be the best Research Director you can be.”
His work ethic inspired me to go above and beyond. He would constantly travel and network but still made time to tackle six to eight stories a week.
He gave me one piece of advice that I will cherish for the rest of my life. He said, “The money, the success, the fortune and the fancy things you have do not mean anything. What matters is the way you treat others, giving love to those who need it and being there for your family, friends and loved ones.”
—Desmond Celo
Parimal was like the older brother of the office, teasing us and making jokes around the office and over email to make us all laugh or roll our eyes playfully.
He was my fellow Bruin in the office, a bond he was very happy and proud of sharing.
He recently checked off his bucket list item of visiting Wrigley Field. He was so happy about it.
May you rest in peace, Parimal. You’re dearly missed. I hope you’re drinking all the Fanta flavors while watching all the movies and Dodgers games your heart desires right now. Thank you for being the older brother I never had.
—Sara Shirazian
I remember when Parimal, or “PMO” as he liked to be called, first joined the Business Journal from CoStar, he was so excited to have in-person colleagues in the newsroom.
His joyous energy and wealth of personal stories quickly became staples in the office.
He said he wanted to be a mentor to me and the other young journalists.
Outside of reporting, he had so many aspirations. He spoke to me about ideas for movies and a podcast he recorded in downtown Los Angeles about Asian Americans in media, which we quickly bonded over.
I’m saddened that I won’t get to see him produce all his big ideas, but I hope to carry that same drive with me to fearlessly go after every passion.
What stood out to me the most about Parimal was not his extensive hat collection or his flashy gold Om pendant he wore every day, but the love he had for his family. He especially loved to spoil his niece, nephew and goddaughters, often taking them to movies and sports games.
—Yuika Yoshida
Parimal covered real estate for the OCBJ, and I tech, so we found a middle ground in talking about sports.
I mentioned to him one time that I thought the LA Memorial Coliseum, which will be central to the 2028 Summer Olympics, was a big, dirty mess from what I could see sitting in the stands and using the filthy restrooms.
He told me if I thought that was bad, I should look at the locker rooms in the Coliseum. They’re worse, he said.
I miss swapping tales and information with Parimal. No subject was too big, too small or too offbeat.
—Kevin Costelloe
In the year that Parimal worked at the Business Journal, Parimal broke several real estate stories and was a team trooper who could be counted on to write a last-minute article on deadline. He told me he appreciated our editing, which is music to an editor’s ear.
I admired how he took care of his mother, taking her on trips with him. They were scheduled to go to Australia in February. Turns out she knows many of the successful Indian American business entrepreneurs that we have written about.
My wife Cynthia and I were fortunate to bring Parimal to the Rose Bowl where we watched my Ohio State Buckeyes beat the Oregon Ducks. He was amazed that his normally calm editor would jump out of his seat to cheer the great plays in that game!
Whenever I left for the day and Parimal was still at his desk, I would make a point to say goodbye. He always had a smile at the end of the day. He loved his job.
—Peter J. Brennan
I met Parimal 11 years ago through the Orange County Press Club, and we instantly clicked. His warmth, humor, and easy smile made everyone feel like an old friend.
I used to commute by train and the first night we met was at one of the board meetings in 2014. Trains stopped running at night and he, no questions asked, stayed with me until my parents arrived. And he did the same every single time after that.
After he moved to Texas, we remained close, and I was so thrilled to help bring him to the OCBJ last year. He loved his work here and was truly thriving, earning well-deserved respect across the industry.
I’ll forever miss his fist pumps, that bright grin, his fascinating stories, and his familiar, “How’s it going, my friend?”
—Jackie Moe
As Parimal’s editor, I found myself thanking him every day for his incredible work ethic and tireless effort. His plate was constantly full, and he loved it. He thrived on writing breaking news and would tackle any story that was asked of him—even when it wasn’t on his beat. He was a true team player.
One of the biggest stories he covered while at the Business Journal was the auction of the 92-acre Ziggurat facility in Laguna Niguel. He was constantly monitoring the dramatic back-and-forth bidding for months, eventually becoming the first reporter to publicize the winning bid.
He had nerves of steel under pressure. He could turn an interview with a prominent Orange County executive into a New York Magazine-style feature in less than a day. Yet, he was just as comfortable cranking out a breaking news story in an hour.
He lived in the moment. An avid Dodgers fan, he braved Los Angeles freeway traffic on a weekday night to see Clayton Kershaw pitch one of his last games as a starter at Chavis Ravine.
He took to Instagram to write about Kershaw’s glorious win: “Who goes 5-0 with a sub 2 ERA in August, while in his 18th season and in the middle of a division race this late in the year? I’m sad I won’t see him more, but I’m happy I had the privilege to witness this greatness in its entirety. Mr. Kershaw, thank you. For everything.”
Parimal, thank you for everything.
—Nancy Luna
When Parimal Rohit joined our office a year ago, I couldn’t have guessed how often he’d be making us laugh.
He always had a fun fact to share during our editorial meetings about his stories, including how some story subjects were childhood friends because his network was vast.
Parimal was often my companion when staying after hours at work. This is usually when he’d catch me up on the latest movies he’d seen and give recommendations.
The last time Parimal was in the office, we found a document he created in one of our shared work folders titled “My favorite films of 2025.”
I’m grateful to have one more update from him.
We’ll miss you, Parimal.
—ÂÂÂEmily Santiago-Molina
