In the demise of these people, the nation lost its gems and the world, its stars. We will never be able thank these legends enough for their efforts, achievements and accomplishments. May these wonderful souls rest in peace.
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015) Image Courtesy: washingtonpost
Fondly known as the People’s President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam left for the heavenly abode on 27th July doing what he loved the most – he suffered a cardiac arrest while interacting with the students of IIM-Shillong on “Creating a Livable Planet Earth”. The 11th President of India (2002-2007), he received the Bharat Ratna for his contribution to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). He led the Pokhran-II nuclear tests, which made India a nuclear weapon country in 1998. In 1980, under his direction, ISRO injected the Rohini Satellite in the near Earth orbit, making India an exclusive member of the Space Club. India developed the AGNI and PRITHVI missiles under Dr. Kalam’s guidance making him ‘the Missile Man of India’. He loved interacting with students and firmly believed in the power of education.
Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Iyer Laxman (24 October 1921 – 26 January 2015) Image Courtesy: santoshchaubey
Famous among the masses for his satiric and relatable cartoon strip “You Said It” in the Times of India, cartoonist R. K. Laxman breathed his last on January 26 in Pune. The protagonist in his cartoons, The Common Man, symbolised the common man’s desires, hopes and problems, for over five decades. RK Laxman started his career as a cartoonist, working with local newspapers and magazines. He also illustrated the stories of his elder brother, RK Narayan for The Hindu. For his work, he was honoured with Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1984. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan 1973 and Padma Vibhushan in 2005.
Nek Chand (15 December 1924 – 12 June 2015) Image Courtesy: roopinder
Nek Chand is well known for his vision to create the Rock Garden in Chandigarh, using waste material including broken glasses, mastic, crockery and iron-foundry slag. The garden has plentiful pottery covered concrete sculptures of animals, musicians and dancers. Today, this visionary’s statues can be found in museums across the world, with the largest collection of his works after Chandigarh in the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in USA. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian Government in 1984, for all the dedication and sincerity he showed to his art. He breathed his last on 12 June, after he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Chitresh Das (9 November 1944 – 4 January 2015) Image Courtesy: dancersgroup
Chitresh Das was an Indian dancer, instructor and choreographer who took Kathak to the US and is well known for establishing the dance form amongst the Indians living in the US. In the year 2009, he was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship, which is the highest honour for a traditional artist to receive from the US Government. This award was conferred to him by the US President Barack Obama at a special ceremony held for this occasion. He is well-known for contribution to development of “Kathak Yoga” which involves the performer dancing, singing and playing an instrument simulatenously. Renowned for his youthful energy, his death came as a shock to many of his disciples. He died of aortic dissection, which is often associated with hypertension.
Daggubati Ramanaidu (6 June 1936 – 18 February 2015) Image Courtesy: ratemovieshere
Daggubati Ramanaidu, a man of few words, registered his name in the Guiness Book of World Records for individually producing the most number of films. He produced over 150 films in 13 Indian languages, and for his contribution to cinema, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan (2013) and was the Dada Saheb Phalke Award (2009) amongst numerous National Awards and Filmfare Awards over the years. He also served as a member of parliament in from 1999 to 2004. Mr. Ramanaidu was also bestowed with an honorary doctorate degree from Sri Venkateswara College, Tirupati for his accomplishments in cinema. Reportedly, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January, 2014.
Narayan Desai (24 December 1924 – 15 March 2015) Image Courtesy: tkan Son of Mahadev Desai, personal secretary and biographer of Mahatama Gandhi, Narayan Desai had roots deep within to serve the Nation. Since his youth he followed and strengthened the Bhoodan Movement started by Vinoba Bhave, which is a land-gift movement to needy people from the rich people. He took forward talks of peace by being an active member of Akhil Bharatiya Shanti Sena Mandal (Indian Peace Brigade). He went on to become its general secretary and was responsible for setting the Peace Brigades International. Mr. Desai received UNESCO prize for International Peace in 1998. He slipped into coma on 10 December, 2014 but later recovered. He…
