DEATH( Nov 2012- March 2013)

INTERNATIONAL

Roger Ebert-The Pulitzer Prize-winning critic for the Chicago Sun-Times as well as the film critic, died at the age of 70 years on 4 April 2013 at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Roger Ebert remained the film critic for Chicago Sun-Times for 45 long years and was also given the title of most powerful critic in America by the Forbes in 2007. 

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala- Oscar and Booker Prize winner writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala died on 3 April 2013 in Manhattan, New York after a long illness. She died at the age of 85 and is survived by her three daughters, her husband Cyrus Jhabvala and six grandchildren.

 Richard Griffiths-Actor Richard Griffiths, the renowned Vernon Dursley of Harry Potter died on 28 March 2013 at University Hospital in Coventry, central England. His age was 65 years. He died because of complications in the heart surgery. 

Anthony Lewis- Two-time Pulitzer winner Anthony Lewis, whose New York Times column championed liberal causes for three decades, died on 25 March 2013 in Boston. He died from due to complications of heart and renal failure. He was 85 years old. Pietro Mennea, the Italian athletics died in Rome on 21 March 2013. He was 60 years of age. He died because of some incurable disease. Pietro Mennea was the gold medal winner in the 200m at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.  He remained 14-time champion in 100m and 200m in the outdoor Italian championships. He was renowned for creating the world record of 19.72sec in Mexico 1979. His record could not be broken for around two decades. This was a record which broke its record of American Tommie Smith and remained unbeatable by US sprint great, Michael Johnson, in 1996. Pietro Mennea was also called Arrow of the South.

Pietro Mennea The Italian athletics died in Rome on 21 March 2013. He was 60 years of age. He died because of some incurable disease. Pietro Mennea was the gold medal winner in the 200m at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He remained 14-time champion in 100m and 200m in the outdoor Italian championships.  He was renowned for creating the world record of 19.72sec in Mexico 1979. His record could not be broken for around two decades. This was a record which broke its record of American Tommie Smith and remained unbeatable by US sprint great, Michael Johnson, in 1996.  

Zillur Rahman- The President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman passed away on 20 March 2013 at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. He was 84 years of age. The Government of Bangladesh announced three-day mourning in the country. Zillur Rahman was undergoing treatment for kidney as well as respiratory complications. 

Peter Banks- Peter Banks, the original guitarist for rock band Yes, died in London on 7 March 2013. He was aged 65 years. Peter Banks died due to heart failure. Yes band was established in 1968. He played guitar on two main albums of his life- Yes (1969) and Time And A Word (1970). Later he pursued his own band called Flash. 

Lilian Davies-  Swedish Princess Lilian Davies died in Stockholm on 10 March 2013. She was aged 97 years. Swedish Princess Lilian was married to Prince Bertil. The Swedish Princess Lilian Davies was born in Swansea, Wales in August 1915 in a working class family. The cause of her death is unknown, but she suffered from Alzheimer's disease. 

James Strong -James Strong, the chairman of local organising committee of the 2015 World Cup died at the age of 68 years on 3 March 2013 in Sydney. ICC World Cup chief executive John Harnden, in the meanwhile announced that Strong’s successor would be made in a due course of time.

Hugo Chavez- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died on 5 March 2013 at a military hospital in Caracas at the age of 58 due to Cancer. He died after battling from cancer for two years during which he underwent several surgeries and chemotherapy in Cuba. With his death his 14 year rule of Venezuela came to an end and bringing a challenge of electing a new President for the country within 30 days as per Constitution of Venezuela. Till then the Presidency will be assumed by the Vice-President of the country, Nicolas Maduro. The Foreign Minister of Venezuela Elias Jose Jaua Milano announced seven days mourning for the country.

 Armando Trovajoli-Italian musician and composer Armando Trovajoli died aged 95. He wrote the scores for about 300 films.During his long stint, he worked with some of the world's great jazz musicians, including Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis. His most famous song was a romantic serenade to Rome earned so much popularity with the tourists that it was regarded as the city's theme tune.

Ronald Dworkin- American philosopher and Constitutional law expert, Ronald Dworkin died in a hospital at London on 14 February 2013. The liberal scholar who argued that the law should be founded on moral integrity died at the age of 81 suffering from leukemia. 

Zhuang Zedong- Zhuang Zedong, the table tennis legend died in Beijing on 10 February 2013 following lengthy fight with cancer. He was aged 72 years. Zhuang Zedong is a three-time world table tennis champion. He won a range of events in 1960s. He was renowned for chance meeting with Glenn Cowan, the US table tennis player during 31st World Table Tennis Championships in 1971.

 Ayesha Haroon- Ayesha Haroon, the renowned Pakistani journalist died on 2 February 2013 in New York following 4-year long fight with cancer. She was 46 years old. Ayesha Haroon is a highly respected journalistic figure in Pakistan. She was former Lahore Resident Editor for The News International. She also served as the editor of The Nation. 

Aaron Swarth- Aaron Swarth, the internet activist and co-founder of Reditt committed suicide by hanging himself on 11 January 2013. The 26 years old computer genius was the developer of the early version of the RSS (Rich Site Summary) – web feed system was facing federal criminal charges in cases of a controversial fraud and hacking allegations. 

Koto Okubo- Koto Okubo, the lady who received the title of world’s oldest lady alive after the death of Dina Manfredini of United States, died on 12 January 2013. The 115 years old Okubo was born on 24 December 1897 in a town near Tokyo, Japan. Dina Manfredini after receiving the title died within two weeks time and she received the award after the death of Japanese Jiroemon Kimura. Jiroemon born on 19 April 1897, in the ancient capital of Kyoto also died at the age of 115 years.

Neil Adcock- Former South Africa fast bowler, Neil Adcock died on 6 January 2013 at the age of 81 in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. He had pneumonia and was also suffering from cancer for a long period of time. 
 Neil Adcock made his Test debut in year 1953 at home against New Zealand. Neil Adcock had played 26 Tests for South Africa between 1953 and 1962, and took 104 wickets at an average of 21.10. He took 26 wickets in a Test series in England in 1960. 

Gerda Lerner- Gerda Lerner, the leader in women’s history as well as the founding member of National Organization for Woman died on 2 January 2013 at Wisconsin. She was aged 92 years. Lerner died in peace at the assisted-living facility in the city of Madison. She founded the doctoral programme in the women’s history in Madison at the University of Wisconsin. 

 Tony Greig- Tony Greig, 66, the former captain of England cricket team and renowned commentator passed away in Sydney on 29 December 2012 following lung cancer. Greig was diagnosed with the ailment in October 2012. Tony Greig was born in Queenstown in South Africa. He was awarded with the Best Cricketer of the Year award in 1975. Greig had the test career of 58 matches and he scored 3599 runs while claiming 141 wickets.He played 22 ODIs and scored 269 runs while grabbing 19 wickets. 

Norman Schwarzkopf – The retired US General and a person who led the U.S. Forces for a Victory in the first Gulf War in Operation Desert Strom in 1991 died at Florida on 27 December 2012. He led an international coalition of U.N. authorized forces from 34 different nations into Kuwait to drive out the forces of Iraq from the country, when the forces of Iraq invaded Kuwait during the regime of President Saddam Hussein. 

Norman Woodland-The inventor of bar code, which revolutionalised retail in 70s, died at 91 on 8 December 2012 at New Jersey. He died because of complications resulting due to Alzheimer’s disease. He is survived by his wife (61), two daughters, one brother and granddaughters. Woodland was the co-inventor of bar code; the zebra pattern which stores information about the products.  He as well as his partner Bernard Silver (who died in 1963) patented this idea of bar code back in 1952 and also sold that to Philco, the electronics company for 15000 US dollar. 

Devendra Lal- The renowned geophysicist as well as the visiting professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California died at 83 on 1 December 2012. He passed away at his home in San Diego. evendra Lal started his career in research when he was 20 years of age. He started his career at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. His areas of research there were earth and planetary sciences, cosmic ray physics as well as astrophysics. He mainly studied records of the climate which are found in terrestrial minerals. 

Besse Cooper- the woman listed as the oldest person of the world died on 4 December 2012 in Georgia nursing home at 116 years of age. Besse Cooper had died peacefully in Monroe. Besse was recently taken ill with the stomach virus. 
Besse Cooper was declared as the oldest person of the world in January 2011 by the Guinness World Records. 

Dave Brubeck- The renowned Jazz pianist died on 5 December 2012 due to heart failure. He was 91 when he died and just a day away from the 92nd birthday.His experiments in style as well as rhythm won him a million jazz fans. Dave Brubeck died at a hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut while visiting cardiologist. He had also won various awards during his career which spanned over six decades. The Library of Congress designated him as the Living Legend. The 1959 album called Time Out was the first million-selling Jazz album of the modern times.

 Joseph Edward Murray- Dr. Joseph Edward Murray, the first doctor to perform kidney transplant successfully died on 26 November 2012. The 93 year old doctor had received a Nobel Prize for the work. Murray had stroke at the suburban home in Boston on 22 November 2012 and eventually he died at Brigham and Women's Hospital .

Elizabeth Comber- Chinese-British writer and physician Elizabeth Comber, who was known by her pen name Han Suyin, died at the age of 95 on 2 November 2012 at her home in Lausanne, Switzerland.Han Suyin, was a Chinese-Belgian British writer.  She emerged as among the most powerful voices that served as a bridge between China and the West in the 20th century. She later became an ambassador for China-India relations after her marriage to an Indian colonel, Vincent Ratnaswamy.

NATIONAL

Bratindra Nath Mukherjee- Padma Shri Awardee Professor Bratindra Nath Mukherjee, the renowned historian and an epigraphy expert died at his residence in Kolkata on 4 April 2013. He authored more than 50 books and wrote about 700 articles in different national and international journals. Few of his famous books were Greek and Aramaic Edicts of Ashoka, Rise of Kushan Empire and a book on coins of the country named Indian Gold.

Kallam Anji Reddy-Kallam Anji Reddy, the main behind Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd (DRL), the second-largest drugmaker of India died on 15 March 2013 at Hyderabad’s Apollo Hospital. Anji Reddy was the founder and chairman of DRL. He was aged 72 years. He died because of liver cancer. He is survived by his wife, daughter and son.

Prof Veer Bhadra Mishra-The noted environmentalist as well as the acclaimed Hero of the Planet of TIME Magazine in 1999, died at Sir Sundarlal Hospital of Banaras Hindu University on 13 March 2013. He was aged 75 years.  Prof Veer Bhadra Mishra was given the title of Hero of the Planet by the TIME magazine in 1999. He was the founder of Sankat Mochan Foundation. He founded Sankat Mochan Foundation in 1982.

Ganesh Pyne-76 years old legendary painter Ganesh Pyne on 12 March 2013 died after a heart attack at a city hospital in Kolkata. Ganesh Pyne was born in Kolkata in 1937. In his long career of five decades his paintings were exhibited round the world - Paris, London, Washington and Germany. He was described as an artist's artist, a philosopher's philosopher and master fantasist of them all.He had received several awards and accolades for his works. He was conferred Raja Ravi Varma award by Kerala Government.

 Viren J Shah-86 years old Former West Bengal Governor and industrialist Viren J Shah died in Jordan on 9 March 2013 after a heart attack. Viren Shah went on for holiday to Jordan with his wife where suffered the heart attack. Viren Shah was elected to Parliament from Junagadh in Gujarat in 1967. He was also member of the Rajya Sabha twice from 1975 to 1981 and from 1990 to 1996.  He was the Governor of West Bengal from 1999 to 2004.

SK Varma- The former news editor of The Indian Express died on 3 March 2013 in New Delhi following a cardiac arrest. Varma was aged 90 years. SK Varma began his career during Quit India movement with the Patna Times. Thereafter, he moved to Indian Nation. By the end of World War II, he shifted to the Punjab Mail and also worked with the Daily Herald as a sub-editor. 

Mukesh Gadhvi- The Congress MP from Banaskantha passed away on 1 March 2013 in Ahmadabad because of multiple organ failure. Mukesh Gadhvi was 50 years of age. Mukesh Gadhvi is survived by his wife, two daughters and one son. Gadhvi was two-time MP from Banaskantha as well as three-time MLA from Danta.

Hari Shankar Singhania The leading industrialist died on 23 February 2013 at the age of 79 years. Hari Shankar Singhania was a Padma Bhushan awardee (in 2003) and was also involved with JK organisation since 1951. 
He was also the chairman of International Chamber of Commerce from the time duration of 1993 to 1994. He had remained the president of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in 1979-80.

Radhakishan Malviya- The former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha Member from Madhya Pradesh died on 19 February 2013 at a private hospital in Indore after suffering from a brief illness. He died at the age of 68.  He was a veteran Congress Leader and was elected MLA from Sanver in Indore district in 1972.  He served the country as Labour Minister in mid 1980s in the Rajiv Gandhi Government.  He was elected as the MP to Rajya Sabha three times.

Shanu Lahiri- The renowned painter of Bengal School died on 1 February 2013 following a brief illness at the private hospital in Kolkata. She was 85 years of age. She is survived by daughter Damayanti and son Arnab. She was cremated at the Keoratala Crematorium on 1 February 2013. Shanu Lahiri was born in the artistic family and studied at Government School of Art and Crafts, Calcutta.She also received President’s Gold Medal. She was the first one to receive this honour at her University. In 1950, her first solo exhibition was organised.

Rusi Framroze Surti-The former all-rounder of India from Surat died on 13 January 2013 in Mumbai. Surti was aged 76 years. Surti was often also called poor man's Garry Sobers and played 26 Test matches for India from the time period of 1960 to 1969. He played for Rajasthan as well as Gujarat in Ranji Trophy. In Sheffield Shield, he represented Queensland 35 times.

Haradhan Bandopadhyay The renowned Bengali actor died on 5 January 2013 in Kolkata after struggling for his life for 15 days. Haradhan Bandopadhyay was aged 86 years and is survived by wife and two sons. Haradhan Bandopadhyay worked in a total of 66 films and he had a career span of six decades.He worked with Satyajit Ray in movies such as Mahanagar, Shonar Kella, Jai Baba Felunath and many more.He worked with some of the renowned directors such as son of Satyajit Ray, Sandip Ray and Mrinal Sen.

Pandit Ram Sanehi Shukla-The veteran freedom fighter died at the age of 98 at Sahebpur Village under Madiyahon tehsil on 3 January 2013. Shukla, who was a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, died after surviving a long illness. The last rites of the freedom fighter were performed at the Manikarnika Ghat of Varanashi with full state honour. 

Nityanand Swami- The first chief minister of Uttarakhand, Nityanand Swami, passed away on 12 December 2012. He was 84 years old and belonged to the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP).Nityanand Swami, served the people throughout his life, focused on developmental issues and built a very good rapport with the people. Uttarakhand Government had declared three days' of state mourning as a mark of respect to the departed leader. 

Pandit Ravi Shankar- Renowned Indian sitarist and Bharat Ratna Recipient Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away in San Diego city of California on 11 December 2012. He was 92 years old. The musician was admitted to the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla on 6 December 2012 after he complained of breathing difficulties. Pandit Ravi Shankar is survived by his wife Sukanya and musician daughters, sitar player Anoushka Shankar, singer Norah Jones, 3 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.

Devendra Lal- The renowned geophysicist as well as the visiting professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California died at 83 on 1 December 2012. He passed away at his home in San Diego. Devendra Lal started his career in research when he was 20 years of age. He started his career at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. His areas of research there were earth and planetary sciences, cosmic ray physics as well as astrophysics. He mainly studied records of the climate which are found in terrestrial minerals. 

 Inder Kumar Gujral- Inder Kumar Gujral,  who served as the Prime Minister in  United Front government in 1990s, died at the age of 92 on 30 November 2012. Following the resignation of HD Deve Gowda, he became the 13th Prime Minister of India on 21 April 1997 and held that post till 19 March 1998 in United Front government .The political party which he belonged to wasJanta Dal. Gujral was a Rajya Sabha Member twice from 1964 to 1976 and a member of the Lok Sabha from 1989 to 1991. He was re-elected to Rajya Sabha from Bihar in 1992.

Indravadan Ambalal Modi- Founder of Cadila Pharmaceuticals and industrialist, Indravadan Ambalal Modi died on 26 November 2012 after suffering from a brief illness and respiratory disorder. The 87 year old industrialist was the Chairman of Cadila Pharmaceuticals. He ventured himself into the Pharma industry in the year 1951 by setting Cadila Laboratories. . 

P K Venukuttan Nair- A well known theatre personality as well as the Malayalam film actor died on 26 November 2012 at Thiruvananthapuram because of brief illness. Nair was a respected personality in theatre circles in the state of Kerala. Nair had also received state government award for the best drama director four times. Nair is survived by his wife. 

Tulsi Govinda Baruah- The Chairman of Assam Tribune Group of Newspapers died on 17 November 2012 at his residence in Rajgarh. The 87 year old is now survived by his wife a daughter and two sons. Tulsi Govinda Baruah was born in Dibrugarh town of Assam, on 29 July 1925. His father R.G. Baruah was the first Mayor and architect of modern Guwahati and he ran the English daily newspaper, The Assam Tribune.

Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray- The Shiv Sena Supremo Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray died on 17 November 2012 at the age of 86.  He died of the cardio-respiratory arrest after suffering a long illness at his residence Matoshree, in Mumbai. Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray was an Indian Politician, who founded Shiv Sena a Political Party based in Mumbai, Maharashtra in the year 19 June 1966. Before turning up to politics, he was a cartoonist by profession with an English daily newspaper in Mumbai, named the Free Press Journal. His cartoons were also published in the Times of India.

K.C. Pant- the ex-Defence Minister of India and former Planning Commission Deputy Chairman died on 15 November 2012. The 81 years old is now survived by his wife Ila Pant, who was a former Member of Parliament and two sons.  Krishna Chandra Pant was the son of the Bharat Ratna and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Govind Ballabh Pant.

Kamala Sadagopan- The eminent Tamil writer and novelist Kamala Sadagopan died on 14 November 2012. She is survived by her husband Sadagopan who is also a screenplay writer known by the name of Chitralaya Gopu and four sons. Kamala worked in a journal run by novelist Vai Mu Kothainayaki Ammal named Jaganmohini.  As a delegate to All India Congress Committee she attended its Avadi Session In 1955 .

Shree Krishna Khaitan- The chairman of Khaitan group of companies, passed away on 4 November 2012. He was a native of Jhunjhunu village in Rajasthan and was born on 15 December 1939. It was S.K. Khaitan who had incorporated the Khaitan group of companies in 1975.

Kailashpati Mishra- Veteran BJP leader, former governor of Gujarat and Rajasthan and former finance minister of Bihar, Kailashpati Mishra, passed away in State of Bihar on 3 November 2012.Kailashpati Misra, was of 90 years of age and was suffering from prolonged illness.

T Samuel- Veteran Cartoonist and the pioneer of pocket cartoons in India, T Samuel died  on 2 October 2012 at the age of 86. Samuel is now survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. Samuel started his journey as a professional cartoonist before Independence from Lahore with a Military Gazette.  After partition he came to Delhi as a refugee and joined Shankar’s weekly, where he contributed the Kalu and Meena, the silent strip cartoon and some more related to social life. As a staff cartoonist, he served Delhi edition of Times of India, where he became famous as the creator of the pocket cartoon named Babuji.