Dayalji Chhaganlal Karia was in born in Rajkot, India on 10 February 1928. In 1934, his father secured employment as a warden at a community hostel for boys in Kampala, Uganda, Africa. Dayalji followed at the age of 14 with his three sisters. There, he studied at the Government Secondary School and passed his Senior Cambridge examination.

In 1948, he was admitted to Durham University to study dentistry. Against all odds and through sponsorship from his community, he travelled to England. He managed to find accommodation on Hotspur Street, Newcastle with a landlady called Mrs Horne who looked after him as her own son (and who he remembered with fondness).

Dayalji qualified as a dentist in 1953 and returned to Kampala to set up a dental practice. In 1956, he travelled to India to marry his wife, Shashi. As his parents retired and returned to India, Dayalji decided to leave Africa and settle in London in 1965.

After working in various practices, he set up his own NHS practice in Kingsbury, North London in 1968. It was during this time that his two daughters were born. In 1976, he closed his practice in order to settle in India. However, due to the ill health of his family, he returned to London after two years.

Dayalji joined the Redbridge Dental Department as a children's dentist at Newbury Park Health Centre. In 1986 he was promoted to Senior Dental Officer. He had special responsibility for the elderly and long-stay sectors where he was based at Goodmayes Hospital. His rapport with children and most of all elderly patients was remarkable. He always remembered his nurse at that time, Jackie, as they made such a great team.

He retired in 1991 in order to spend more time with family and in his garden which he was particularly proud of.

He moved to North Finchley N12 in 1997. He was a loving husband of 53 years, a proud father and the ecstatic grandfather of four grandchildren. He was considerate, compassionate, philosophical, and witty. He had a wonderful hearty laugh.

He died unexpectedly on 27 July 2009.