Category: Obituary

Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy dies of cardiorespiratory arrest

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy died due to a cardiorespiratory arrest at a private hospital in Mumbai on Tuesday after a prolonged illness, according to a company statement. He was 75.

Having created a huge business empire across retail, real estate and financial services sectors, Roy was at the centre of a huge controversy and faced multiple regulatory and legal battles in connection with his group firms that were accused of circumventing regulations with Ponzi schemes, allegations his group always denied.

According to the company statement, he was admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute in Mumbai on Sunday after his health deteriorated.

He passed away at the hospital at 10.30 pm on Tuesday due to a cardiorespiratory arrest following an extended battle with complications arising from metastatic malignancy, hypertension and diabetes, it added.

“It is with profound sadness that Sahara India Pariwar informs the demise of our Hon’ble ‘Saharasri’ Subrata Roy Sahara, Managing Worker and Chairman, Sahara India Pariwar,” the group said in the statement.

Calling him an “inspirational leader and visionary”, the statement said, “His loss will be deeply felt by the entire Sahara India Pariwar. Saharasri ji was a guiding force, a mentor, and a source of inspiration for all who had the privilege to work alongside him.” Sahara India Pariwar is committed to upholding Roy’s legacy and will continue to honour his vision in driving the organisation, it added.

In his prime, Roy had made the Sahara Group a multi-billion dollar enterprise that counted itself among the biggest employers of the country.

He was also known to have friends among the famous and powerful across the fields of politics and Bollywood.

Having scripted one of the most famous rags-to-riches stories of the country, Roy went on to expand his business across various sectors ranging from finance, housing, manufacturing, aviation and the media and became a household name.

His enterprise went on to own landmark global properties, including New York’s Plaza Hotel and London’s iconic Grosvenor House.

Under his leadership, Sahara also sponsored the Indian cricket and hockey teams and owned a Formula One racing team.

Weddings of his two sons some two decades ago are still among the biggest parties ever seen in India. He lived in Lucknow.

His troubles began in November 2010 when stock market regulator Sebi asked two entities of Sahara Group not to mobilise funds from equity markets or from issuance of any security to the public while restraining Roy from approaching the public for raising money.

Roy was arrested in 2014 on the orders of the Supreme Court after he failed to appear before it in a contempt case arising out of non-refund of more than Rs 20,000 crore to investors by two of his companies.

He was later granted bail but troubles continued for his various businesses.

Two Sahara Group companies — Sahara India Real Estate Corporation (SIRECA) and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation — raised funds in 2007-08 through a debenture instrument OFCD.

Later in June 2011, the regulator asked the two group entities to refund money collected from investors through Optionally Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCD) along with the return.

After a long process of appeals and cross-appeals, the Supreme Court had ordered in 2012 refund of deposits of its investors along with 15 per cent interest.

Sahara was eventually asked to deposit an estimated Rs 24,000 crore with Sebi for further refund to investors, though the group always maintained it amounted to “double payment” as it had already refunded more than 95 per cent of investors directly.

Once asked for proof of repayment, Roy famously sent across 100 truckloads of documents to Sebi, triggering a unique warehousing crisis for the regulator.

In another incident, a man from Gwalior threw ink on Roy’s face and called him a thief when he was brought to the Supreme Court in his trademark waistcoat and tie amid chaotic scenes.

The Sahara Group had earlier said it has always built its businesses by productively channelizing human capital spread across India and giving employment and work at people’s doorstep.

“In this way, Sahara is providing bread and butter to more than 14 lakh people in their own villages and towns. It is the country’s second-largest human capital after Indian Railways. This amount could have been used by the organisation to generate more employment and work and helped the country and therefore its economy,” it had said in an earlier statement.

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Aptech MD and CEO Anil Pant dies

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Aptech’s managing director and CEO Anil Pant died on Tuesday, August 15.

“Dr Pant’s contribution and energy will be missed by the Company. All the directors and employees of the company convey their deepest condolences to his family,” the company said in an exchange filing on Tuesday.

In June, the company had said that Pant had gone on an indefinite leave because of sudden deterioration of his health. The company had informed the stock exchanges that it was taking measures to select an interim CEO.

Pant was the CEO and MD of Aptech since 2016. Prior to this, was he was associated with the likes of Sify Technologies and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). He spent over 15 years in the IT and communication space, handling a variety of responsibilities such as sales, quality, delivery, marketing, product maangement, which culminated into the P&L responsibility in the last few roles.

He was the principal consultant at TCS from 2010 to 2016 and developed a $100 million practice in the testing domain. He was also the vice-president of Sify Technologies from 2008 to 2010. He worked in various roles in companie such as Crompton Greaves, Tally, Wipro and Blow Past.

Pant held a Bachelor of Engineering degree a from the BMS College of Engineering and also a PhD in information technology from Licoln University College, Malaysia.

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Indian football legend Mohammed Habib dies at 74

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Mohammed Habib, the football maestro of the 1970s, who left an indelible mark by scoring against Pele’s New York Cosmos while donning the Mohun Bagan jersey, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 74. A notable figure in Indian football history, Habib’s brilliance caught the attention of Pele himself, elevating his game to legendary heights.

Habib battled dementia and Parkinson’s syndrome for the past few years and breathed his last in his hometown of Hyderabad, leaving behind his wife and three daughters.

A bronze medallist in the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok under the captaincy of fellow Hyderabadi Syed Nayeemuddin and manager PK Banerjee, Habib has represented the big three of Kolkata Maidan — Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting in his heydays, dominating the Mecca of Indian

Following a successful career that saw him gain legendary status and earn the tag of the country’s first “true professional” footballer for his refusal to accept numerous job offers that came his way owing to his on-field heroics, Habib took to coaching at the Tata Football Academy (TFA). Later, he also acted as chief coach of the Indian Football Association academy in Haldia.

At a time when the clubs would pay meagre sum to their best players, he was unruffled and remained a professional in true sense throughout his career, for he considered playing football as his real and only profession.

One of the highlights of Habib’s career was when he played for Mohun Bagan against the visiting Cosmos Club which also featured the legendary Pele in 1977 in a friendly on a rain-soaked Eden Gardens.

Up against a visiting team that had a star-studded line up with big names like Pele, Carlos Alberto, Georgio Chinaglia and others in its ranks, Mohun Bagan held their own in a creditable 2-2 draw with midfield mainstay Habib being one of the scorers. In one of his biggest acknowledgments, Habib was singed out by Pele after the match with the one of the world’s greatest player praising his game.

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Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak passes away at AIIMS Delhi

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Bindeshwar Pathak, the pioneering founder of Sulabh International and a prominent social activist known for his transformative work in public sanitation, passed away on Tuesday at AIIMS Delhi due to a sudden cardiac arrest.

The 80-year-old visionary had hoisted the national flag at Sulabh International headquarters on Independence Day morning before collapsing. He was pronounced brought dead at 1.42 pm due to the cardiac arrest, a source at the hospital confirmed.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Sulabh International Social Service Organisation said, “Founder Sulabh Sanitation, Social Reform and Human Rights Movement, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak is no more. He died of cardiac arrest at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.” “He was rushed to the hospital after he complained of uneasiness in the midst of Independence Day celebrations at the campus of Sulabh, Palam-Dabri Road, New Delhi,” it said.

President Droupadi Murmu expressed sadness over the demise of Pathak and extended her condolences to the bereaved family members.

“The news of the demise of Shri Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International, is very sad. Shri Pathak had taken a revolutionary initiative in the field of cleanliness. He was honoured with many awards including the Padma Bhushan. I express my condolences to his family and members of Sulabh International,” Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X, formerly Twitter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tributes to of Sulabh International founder, describing his death as a profound loss to the nation.

“He was a visionary who worked extensively for societal progress and empowering the downtrodden,” the PM said, noting it was Pathak’s mission to build a cleaner India.  Modi said Pathak provided monumental support to the Swachh Bharat Mission and his passion towards cleanliness was always visible during their conversations.

“His work will continue to inspire several people. My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. Om Shanti,” he said.

“Deeply anguished by the demise of distinguished social activist and visionary founder of Sulabh International, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Ji. His relentless dedication to eradicating manual scavenging and advancing sanitation has uplifted countless lives. My thoughts and prayers are with his bereaved family members during this hour of grief,” tweeted Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar.

The 80-year-old was the founder of Sulabh International, an India-based social service organisation which works to promote human rights, environmental sanitation, waste management and reforms through education.

Pathak founded Sulabh International in 1970 with a vision to eradicate open defecation and unclean public toilets. The organisation’s pioneering efforts led to the development of the revolutionary Sulabh toilet, a low-cost, eco-friendly solution that has revolutionised sanitation practices across the nation.

Sulabh toilet revolutionised sanitation practices, providing millions with access to clean and dignified restroom facilities.

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Pepperfry co-founder Ambareesh Murty dies of cardiac arrest in Leh

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Ambareesh Murty, the co-founder of the e-commerce furniture and home goods platform Pepperfry, died of a cardiac arrest in Leh on Monday, August 7, night.

Ashish Shah, the other co-founder of Pepperfry, in a tweet on Tuesday morning said, “Extremely devastatd to inform that my friend, mentor, brother, soulmate @AmbareeshMurty is no more. Lost him yesterday night to a cardiac arrest at Leh. Please pray for him and for strength to his family and near ones.”

The company, in a statement, mourned the death of its CEO, “The Pepperfry family, along with its employees, investors, partners, and customers, mourn the loss of a visionary leader who played a pivotal role in shaping our journey. At this challenging time, our thoughts and prayers are with Ambareesh’s family, friends, and loved ones. We extend our heartfelt condolences to them and stand by them in their moment of grief,” it said.

“We would like to assure our customers, partners, and stakeholders that Pepperfry remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering exceptional products and services. The entire Pepperfry team is dedicated to upholding the values that Ambareesh instilled in the company and ensuring that his legacy continues to guide us into the future.”

“As we grieve the loss of a remarkable individual, we also celebrate the legacy of Ambareesh Murty and the lasting impact he has left on our organization and the industry as a whole,” the statement further added.

Murty was a graduate from the Delhi College of Engineering. He completed his MBA from the Indian Institite of Management of Calcutta (IIMC. Murty forayed into the business world 27 years ago when he joined as management trainee at Cadbury. He worked with the chocolate manufacturer for around five-and-a-half years.

He then ventured into the financial sector, where he took on the role of VP marketing and customer service at ICICI AMC (now ICICI Prudential) for nearly two years.

This was followed by a brief five months at Levi’s, after which he embared on his own venture, Origin Resources, which tailored to aid mutual fund companies in India. However, the startup was shut in 2005, following which he joined as a marketing manager at Britannia.

Seven months later, he joined eBay India, where he took on the role of country manager for the India, Malaysia and the Philippines. In 2012, Murty and Shah started their own venture Pepperfry.

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Cormac McCarthy, lauded author of ‘The Road’ and ‘No Country for Old Men,’ dies at 89

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Cormac McCarthy, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who in prose both dense and brittle took readers from the southern Appalachians to the desert Southwest in such novels as “The Road,” “Blood Meridian” and “All the Pretty Horses,” died on Tuesday. He was 89.

Publisher Alfred A Knopf, a Penguin Random House imprint, announced that McCarthy died of natural causes at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“For 60 years, he demonstrated an unwavering dedication to his craft, and to exploring the infinite possibilities and power of the written word,” Penguin Random House CEO Nihar Malaviya said in a statement. “Millions of readers around the world embraced his characters, his mythic themes, and the intimate emotional truths he laid bare on every page, in brilliant novels that will remain both timely and timeless, for generations to come.”

McCarthy, raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, was compared to William Faulkner for his expansive, Old Testament style and rural settings. McCarthy’s themes, like Faulkner’s, often were bleak and violent and dramatised how the past overwhelmed the present. Across stark and forbidding landscapes and rundown border communities, he placed drifters, thieves, prostitutes and old, broken men, all unable to escape fates determined for them well before they were born. As the doomed John Grady Cole of McCarthy’s celebrated “Border” trilogy would learn, dreams of a better life were only dreams, and falling in love an act of folly.

“Every man’s death is a standing in for every other,” McCarthy wrote in “Cities of the Plain,” the trilogy’s final book. “And since death comes to all there is no way to abate the fear of it except to love that man who stands for us.”

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McCarthy’s own story was one of belated, and continuing, achievement and popularity. Little known to the public at age 60, he would become one of the country’s most honored and successful writers despite rarely talking to the press. He broke through commercially in 1992 with “All the Pretty Horses” and over the next 15 years won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer, was a guest on Oprah Winfrey’s show and saw his novel “No Country for Old Men” adapted by the Coen brothers into an Oscar-winning movie. Fans of the Coens would discover that the film’s terse, absurdist dialogue, so characteristic of the brothers’ work, was lifted straight from the novel.

“The Road,” his stark tale of a father and son who roam a ravaged landscape, brought him his widest audience and highest acclaim. It won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and was selected by Winfrey for her book club. In his Winfrey interview, McCarthy said that while typically he didn’t know what generates the ideas for his books, he could trace “The Road” to a trip he took with his young son to El Paso, Texas, early in the decade. Standing at the window of a hotel in the middle of the night as his son slept nearby, he started to imagine what El Paso might look like 50 or 100 years in the future.

“I just had this image of these fires up on the hill … and I thought a lot about my little boy,” he said.

He told Winfrey he didn’t care how many people read “The Road.”

“You would like for the people that would appreciate the book to read it. But, as far as many, many people reading it, so what?” he said.

McCarthy dedicated the book to his son, John Francis, and said having a child as an older man “forces the world on you, and I think it’s a good thing.” The Pulitzer committee called his book “the profoundly moving story of a journey.”

“It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, ‘each the other’s world entire,’ are sustained by love,” the citation read in part. “Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.”

After “The Road,” little was heard from McCarthy over the next 15 years and his career was presumed over. But in 2022, Knopf made the startling announcement that it would release a pair of connected novels he had referred to in the past: “The Passenger” and “Stella Maris,” narratives about a brother and sister, mutually obsessed siblings, and the legacy of their father, a physicist who had worked on atomic technology. “Stella Maris” was notable, in part, because it centered on a female character, an acknowledged weakness of McCarthy’s.

“I don’t pretend to understand women,” he told Winfrey.

His first novel, “The Orchard Keeper” — written in Chicago while he was working as an auto mechanic — was published by Random House in 1965. His editor was Albert Erskine, Faulkner’s longtime editor.

Other novels include “Outer Dark,” published in 1968; “Child of God” in 1973; and “Suttree” in 1979. The violent “Blood Meridian,” about a group of bounty hunters along the Texas-Mexico border murdering Indians for their scalps, was published in 1985.

His “Border Trilogy” books were set in the Southwest along the border with Mexico: “All the Pretty Horses” (1992) — a National Book Award winner that was turned into a feature film; “The Crossing” (1994), and “Cities of the Plain” (1998).

McCarthy said he was always lucky. He recalled living in a shack in Tennessee and running out of toothpaste, then going out and finding a toothpaste sample in the mailbox.

“That’s the way my life has been. Just when things were really, really bleak, something would happen,” said McCarthy, who won a MacArthur Fellowship — one of the so-called “genius grants” — in 1981.

In 2009, Christie’s auction house sold the Olivetti typewriter he used while writing such novels as “The Road” and “No Country for Old Men” for $254,500. McCarthy, who bought the Olivetti for $50 in 1958 and used it until 2009, donated it so the proceeds could be used to benefit the Santa Fe Institute, a nonprofit interdisciplinary scientific research community. He once said he didn’t know any writers and preferred to hang out with scientists.

The Southwestern Writers Collection at Texas State University-San Marcos purchased his archives in 2008, including correspondence, notes, drafts, proofs of 11 novels, a draft of an unfinished novel and materials related to a play and four screenplays.

McCarthy attended the University of Tennessee for a year before joining the Air Force in 1953. He returned to the school from 1957 to 1959, but left before graduating. As an adult, he lived around the Great Smoky Mountains before moving West in the late 1970s, eventually settling in Santa Fe.

His Knoxville boyhood home, long abandoned and overgrown, was destroyed by fire in 2009.

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Shakuni Mama of Mahabharata Gufi Paintal dies at 78

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Veteran actor Gufi Paintal, famous for playing ‘Shakuni Mama’ in the mythological saga ‘Mahabharata’, died on Monday morning. He was 78-years-old.

Paintal had been admitted to a hospital and was in a critical condition.

“With profound grief we announce the sad demise of our father Mr Gufi Paintal. he passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by family,” his sone Harry Paintal shared in a note, the Times of India reported.

His nephew Hiten Paintal told news agency PTI that his heart gave up and he passed away peacefully in his sleep. He had earlier informed the news agency that his uncle had not been keeping well because of age-related health issues.

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“He had blood pressure and heart issues. He was keeping unwell and all this was going on for a while. Things got severe now so we got him to the hospital for observation. He has been in the hospital for seven to eight days. He was critical initially, but right now he is stable,” Hiten had previously said, News18.com reported.

He was not just an actor but also a television director. He also acted in many Bollywood movies such as Des Pardes, Rafoo Chakkar, Dillagi, Daava, among others.

His famous works on the small screen include Sauda, Akbar Birbal, Kanoon, Mrs Kaushik ki Paanch Bahuein, Om Namah Shivay, Karn Sanghini, among ohters.

Paintal had last appeared in a TV show ‘Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki’.

His role in the mythological saga Mahabharata made him a household name.

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Luthra and Luthra founder Rajiv Luthra passes away

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Luthra and Luthra Law Offices’ founder and managing partner Rajiv Luthra passed away on May 10 at the age of 67.

Luthra started studying law from the Delhi university at the age of 31, seven years after he began to qualify as a chartered accountant. He then set up his law firm in 1989,  following which he took up a few courses at Harvard Law School over the span of seven years and went on to study the emerging areas in law.

Subsequently, opportunities opened up for him to practise project finance as well as mergers and acquisitions. Himself, Luthra specialised in project finance as well as public private partnerships.

Luthra was a jovial man and mentored quite a few corporate lawyers at his firm. He also liked to play golf and before starting his law firm, had founded an adventure travel company.

Luthra was also a director on the Network18 Media & Investments Limited.

Luthra’s  firm Luthra and Luthra has witnessed two splits in the past three years. its co-founder Mohit Saraf left the company with more than 20 partners and started the Saraf and Partners in 2021, while the acrimonious split playing out in the high court in Delhi. Meanwhile, in July last year, L&L’s litigation arm also split and joined DSK Legal as partners Sudhir Sharma and Bobby Chandhoke quit with 60 other lawyers.

Luthra is survived by his wife and two daughters. The cremation will be held at 12pm on Thursday at Lodhi Crematorium.

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Pune MP Girish Bapat dies; PM Modi, BJP mourn loss

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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BJP Lok Sabha member from Pune Girish Bapat passed away at a hospital on Wednesday. He was 72. His demise is a big loss for Bharatiya Janata Party, Maharashtra unit president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said.

Bapat was ailing for the past one-and-a-half years. The 72-year-old BJP leader was admitted to the ICU of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital earlier today in critical condition and was on life support.

The BJP leader’s last rites will be performed at Vaikunth crematorium on Wednesday evening, the party announced. A video published by ANI today showed Bapat’s mortal remains being taken in an ambulance to his residence in Kasba Peth, Pune.

BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited ailing Bapat in Pune on February 19.

Bapat had served as the MLA five times from the Kasba Peth constituency in Pune city. He was elected to Lok Sabha from the Pune constituency in 2019.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a photo of the two together, offering his condolences to Bapat’s family and supporters.

“He worked extensively for the development of Maharashtra and was particularly passionate about Pune’s growth. His passing away is saddening,” Modi said.

He added that Bapat played a key role in building and strengthening the BJP in Maharashtra. He was an approachable MLA who raised issues of public welfare, Modi said. He also mentioned that Bapat made a mark as an effective minister and later as Pune’s MP.

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“His good work will keep motivating several people,” the prime minister said.

Reacting to the news, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed his heartfelt condolences on Bapat’s demise.

“He started his career as a grassroots-level worker to become an ideal public representative,” Shinde said, remembering Bapat.

His sentiments were echoed by Pune’s BJP president.

“Today is a sad day. BJP’s senior leader and Pune Lok Sabha MP Girish Bapat has left us today. He passed away in a hospital. For the last one and half years, he was undergoing treatment,” said Jagdish Mulik, BJP city unit president.

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NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the news of Bapat’s death was extremely saddening.

Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil said Bapat was like a guru and a father figure.

”It is a big loss for the BJP as Bapat has left us forever. We used to learn a lot from him and his style of politics,” Bawankule said.

Patil said Bapat was like a guru for many BJP workers and his colleagues.

”It is like losing a father figure from your life. His friendship across the party lines and contacts with people and party workers were unparallel. He was dedicated to the party and its growth. His demise is a huge loss to the party,” Patil said.

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Sharad Pawar tweeted, ”In his long political career of four decades, Bapat always took an all-inclusive stand”.

Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said Pune district has lost a leader who believed in taking everyone along.

”In Bapat’s death, a cultured face of politics has lost,” he said in a statement.

With agency inputs.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Veteran actor Sameer Khakhar, of ‘Nukkad’ and ‘Circus’ fame, passes away at 71

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Veteran actor Sameer Khakhar, who is known for his roles in TV shows such as “Nukkad” and “Circus”, passed away at the age of 71.

According to his younger brother Ganesh Khakhar, Sameer died at a hospital on Wednesday morning due to multiple organ failure. Ganesh said that Sameer was admitted to MM Hospital in Borivali,  Mumbai on Tuesday morning following respiratory issues.

“He had respiratory problems since yesterday and later he went into an unconscious state, so we had called the doctor at home and he asked us to hospitalise him,” added Ganesh.

“He was admitted to the intensive care unit of MM Hospital. Slowly and gradually, he suffered multiple organs failure, he was unconscious and then he collapsed. He passed away at 4.30 am today,” said Ganesh.

Some of Sameer Khakhar’s notable work includes the TV show “Shrimaan Shrimati”, and films such as “Parinda”, Salman Khan-starrer “Jai Ho”, Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra’s “Hasee Toh Phasee”, Sudhir Mishra-directed “Serious Men”, and Vikas Bahl’s web-series “Sunflower”.

His most memorable role perhaps was Khopdi in the classic TV serial “Nukkad”.

Sameer Khakhar is survived by his wife. The last rites will be held at 10.30 am at a crematorium in Borivali.

(With inputs from PTI)

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