IN MEMORIAM 2024
WHO: BASDEO PANDAY (Prime Minister)
WHEN he died: January 1, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1933)
WHAT: “[The first Indian-origin PM of Trinidad and Tobago], Panday served twice as prime minister from 1995 to 2001 following key elections that marked a turning point for the Indo-Trinidadians who lived on the twin-island nation, whose population is currently 35% East Indian and 34% of African descent. Panday was a lawyer, economist and union leader who also co-founded three political parties, including United National Congress.”—The Associated Press
WHO: JITENDRA P. UBEROI (Sociologist)
WHEN he died: January 3, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1934)
WHAT: “[T]he longest serving professor (1969-1999) at the department of sociology, Delhi School of Economics. Professor Uberoi is greatly admired by friends and enemies alike for his pioneering contributions to the study of European modernity, critical science studies and his study of religion, specifically Sikhism. Apart from his scholarly and in the true sense path-breaking writings, Professor Uberoi inspired generations of students...”—The Wire
WHO: RASHID KHAN (Classical singer)
WHEN he died: January 9, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1968)
WHAT: “He commanded the biggest fee among his contemporaries and performed in packed auditoriums: in his busiest years, he was doing 20 concerts a month. His untimely death has robbed India of one of its finest and most popular vocalists. The appeal of his khayal—a major form of north Indian classical music—cut across musical hierarchies, becoming a rare converging point for common people and the pundits.” —BBC
WHO: AMEEN SAYANI (Radio announcer)
WHEN he died: February 20, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1932)
WHAT: “His original radio show, Binaca Geetmala, ran for 42 years, made several lyricists, composers and singers household names and even saved many films from oblivion . . . Over a career that spanned much of independent India’s journey, Sayani recorded at least 50,000 radio programmes, lent his voice to 19,000 jingles, hosted TV shows, and did voiceovers and cameos in some Bollywood films, often as a radio presenter.” —Al Jazeera
WHO: SUDHIR KAKAR (Psychoanalyst & author)
WHEN he died: April 22, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1938)
WHAT: “The author of more than 20 non-fiction and fiction works, he was interested in sexuality, mysticism and religion as a counterpart to modern-day globalisation. He studied Freud and applied him to everything from film criticism to psychotherapy to mythology, considering Hindi cinema a producer of ‘new myths’ and ‘collective fantasies’ that came to India’s rescue during great sociopolitical and economic upheaval.” —The Indian Express
WHO: RAMACHANDRA DIVAKARUNI (Research Engineer)
WHEN he died: May 27, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1967)
WHAT: “Dr. Divakaruni is responsible for IBM Advanced Process Technology Research (which includes EUV technologies and advanced unit process and enablement technologies) and he is the main interface between IBM Semiconductor Research and IBM’s Systems Leadership. Dr. Divakaruni is an IBM Distinguished Engineer and one of IBM’s top inventors with over 225 issued US patents . . . Through 2003, while in DRAM Technology Development, his team introduced the world’s first sub-8F2 vertical transistor DRAM trench technology.”—Semiconductor Digest
WHO: RAMOJI RAO (Media baron)
WHEN he died: June 8, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1936)
WHAT: “Ramoji Rao headed the Ramoji Group, managing a wide range of assets including the world-renowned Ramoji Film City, the largest film production facility globally. His media empire also includes the prominent Eenadu newspaper, the ETV Network of television channels, and the film production company Usha Kiran Movies... His ventures included Margadarsi Chit Fund, the Dolphin Group of hotels, Kalanjali shopping mall, Priya pickles, and Mayuri Film Distributors.”—The Economic Times
WHO: TOM PRASADA-RAO (Folk singer)
WHEN he died: June 19, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1958)
WHAT: “Mr. Prasada-Rao was a beloved fixture on the coffeehouse and folk-festival circuits, a musician’s musician known for writing songs that were both poetic and catchy. He was also known for his use of open tunings. Michael Lille, who often performed with him, described how he could make a guitar sound like an entire band . . . [He] was a roly-poly bear of a man who often wore a kurta, the long tunic of his heritage (both his parents were born in India)...”—The New York Times
WHO: ANSHUMAN GAEKWAD (Cricketer & coach)
WHEN he died: July 31, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1952)
WHAT: “If courage, like runs scored and wickets taken, were to be quantified, Gaekwad would have effortlessly topped the charts. For someone who started as a spinner and lower-order batter, it was remarkable that the Baroda cricketer went on to become a trusted opener alongside Sunil Gavaskar . . . Post his playing days, Gaekwad donned various hats—coach, selector, administrator and head of BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee...”—Deccan Herald
WHO: YAMINI KRISHNAMURTHY (Classical dancer)
WHEN she died: August 3, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1940)
WHAT: “Perhaps her biggest contribution to Indian classical art was in creating a wider awareness for Bharatnatyam and Kuchpudi dance forms that were predominantly perceived to be for the South. It was artists like Krishnamurthy who opened the flood gates for future generations to embrace Indian dance forms... Krishnamurthy, who was awarded the Padma Vibhushan and Sangeet Natak Academy award, was the youngest recipient of Padma Shri at the age of 28.”—NDTV
WHO: SHOBHANA RANADE (Social worker)
WHEN she died: August 4, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1924)
WHAT: “Inspired by Gandhi’s ideals, she devoted her life to the service of the underprivileged, especially women and children. She co-founded the first child welfare centers at Maitreyi Ashram and Shishu Niketan, aimed at nurturing disadvantaged youth... Recognitions for her tireless efforts included the prestigious Padma Bhushan, Jamnalal Bajaj Award, and the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award, among others.” —Pune Pulse
WHO: NATWAR SINGH (Foreign minister)
WHEN he died: August 10, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1929)
WHAT: “He acknowledged that he was a lifelong Nehruite. Because of his admiration for her father, Indira Gandhi became a personal friend and he became an unofficial advisor on policy-making beyond diplomacy. For instance, he played a crucial role in persuading India’s princely families to accept the abolition of the privy purse, a crucial element in Indira Gandhi’s recast of the Congress. He was always her unabashed admirer...”—Business Standard
WHO: A. G. NOORANI (Constitutional jurist)
WHEN he died: August 29, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1930)
WHAT: “A prolific writer and legal expert, Noorani leaves behind a tremendous legacy of scholarly and journalistic work that ranged from fundamental rights and secularism to parliamentary procedure and constitutional questions... Noorani is best known for his scholarship on the Kashmir Question as well as the Emergency, and the dispute surrounding the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site, as he wove deep legal knowledge and difficult-to-unearth research into his polemic.”—Hindustan Times
WHO: SITARAM YECHURY (Political leader)
WHEN he died: September 12, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1952)
WHAT: “The veteran leftist’s passing has left a void in Indian politics, not least because of his ability to forge alliances and navigate coalition politics. He had served as general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)... His political journey began about 50 years ago at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. He was pursuing doctoral studies in economics when then prime minister Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency in 1975, leading to his arrest along with other student leaders.”—The Independent
WHO: RENU C. LASKAR (Math professor)
WHEN she died: September 17, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1932)
WHAT: “At Clemson, Laskar graduated 14 PhDs, was the author of 160 publications, and collaborated with 93 co-authors... She was the first female faculty at any campus of the Indian Institute of Technology. Laskar, who collaborated with math giants such as R.C. Bose (inventor of the BCH codes used in wireless communications) and Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdos, was a mathematician who specialized in combinatorics and graph theory.”—Clemson University
WHO: KEKI DARUWALLA (Poet & novelist)
WHEN he died: September 26, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1937)
WHAT: “His 10 volumes of poetry include Under Orion, The Keeper of the Dead, winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award, Landscapes, winner of the Commonwealth Poetry Award, Asia, Night River and The Map-maker. His first novel, For Pepper and Christ, was shortlisted for the 2010 Commonwealth Fiction Prize. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2014... His work has been translated into Spanish, Swedish, Magyar, German and Russian.”—Jaipur Literature Festival
WHO: P. VENUGOPAL (Cardiovascular surgeon)
WHEN he died: October 8, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1942)
WHAT: “The former director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, had once operated on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when she was brought in, critically injured from gunshot wounds... [M]ade a historic contribution to medicine by performing India’s first pacemaker implantation and heart transplant in 1994. He had performed more than 50,000 heart surgeries in his career. The central government had honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1998.” —News 18
WHO: RATAN TATA (Industrialist & philanthropist)
WHEN he died: October 9, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1937)
WHAT: “During his two decades as chairman, Tata led a drive to expand internationally, becoming one of the first Indian companies to acquire marquee foreign brands . . . Tata, who never married and had no children, focused in the past decade on philanthropy in health and education in India through Tata Trusts, as well as contributing millions of dollars to Cornell and Harvard Business School. His love of animals led him to fund a five-floor animal hospital in Mumbai...”—The Wall Street Journal
WHO: ROHIT BAL (Fashion designer)
WHEN he died: November 1, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1961)
WHAT: “Bal’s creations often featured exquisite lotus and peacock motifs, embroidered with intricate detailing and vibrant colors, symbolizing Indian grandeur. He was known for his use of rich fabrics like velvet and brocade, capturing an essence of royalty in each piece. His partnership with Khadi Gram Udyog, India’s largest handloom textile operation, showcased his commitment to traditional crafts, while his jewelry collections brought a luxurious addition to his brand.”—The Statesman
WHO: R. SHARATH JOIS (Yoga teacher)
WHEN he died: November 11, 2024 (Year of Birth: 1971)
WHAT: “The grandson of Ashtanga yoga’s founder, K. Pattabhi Jois, Sharath was considered the lineage holder of the practice and helped popularize the practice of Ashtanga around the globe. He was in the midst of a teaching tour through the United States at the time of his passing... In many ways, Sharath initiated accessibility to Ashtanga. Sharath encouraged students to work with specific postures to maximize potential and safe expression.”—Yoga Journal
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