Focus Merit

Category: Obituaries

Former Western Army Commander Lt. General P N Hoon passes away

January 8, 2020

Former Western Army Commander Lieutenant general Prem Nath Hoon, who played an important role in the war against Pakistan in 1984, passed away at the age of 90. Lt Gen Hoon was admitted in Command Hospital, Chandimandir, Panchkula for the past two days due to illness.

Born in pre-partition India on October 4, 1929, Lt Gen Hoon had joined the Indian Army and led Operation Meghdoot, the code-name for the Indian Armed Forces operation to capture the Siachen Glacier in the Kashmir region, precipitating the Siachen Conflict. The action resulted in Indian troops gaining control of the entire Siachen Glacier.

Germany’s 1966 World Cup goal-keeper Hans Tilkowski passes away

January 7, 2020

Hans Tilkowski, the West Germany goal-keeper in the 1966 World Cup final against England passes away at age 84. Tilkowski was best known outside Germany for conceding England’s third goal in extra time in the 1966 final, with the score at 2-2, when Geoff Hurst’s shot hit the bar and bounced downward. The decision to award the goal started decades of debate and much-disputed video analysis. Tilkowski always said he was sure the ball did not fully cross the line.

Freedom fighter Bhim Chandra Jana Passes away

January 6, 2020
bhim chandra jana

Centenarian freedom fighter Bhim Chandra Jana passed away at 107, of old age-related ailments in West Bengal’s Howrah district. Jana was awarded by the Government of India after Independence and was an avowed Gandhian all his life.

Former Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker P H Pandian passes away

January 6, 2020
ph pandian

Former Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker and senior AIADMK leader P H Pandian passed away at the age of 74. P H Pandian, a lawyer by profession, served as Speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly between 1985 to 1987 when MG Ramachandran was the chief minister. Later between 1999 to 2004, PH Pandian served as Tirunelveli MP of the AIADMK.

Former Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi passes away

January 5, 2020
tn chaturvedi

Former Governor of Karnataka T N Chaturvedi passed away at a private hospital in Noida, at the age of 90. He was the 14th Governor of Karnataka from 2002–2007. He also served as of Comptroller and Auditor General of India from 1984 to 1989. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1991.

Social activist A V Swamy passes away

January 3, 2020

Alajangi Viswanath Swamy, a noted social activist and former Rajya Sabha member from Odisha, passed away at his Khariar Road residence in Nuapada district due to old age-related ailments.

Swamy had played an active role in social reformer Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Movement. He was nominated to the Upper House of the Parliament on April 4, 2012 and was in the position till April 3, 2018.

Sr. NCP leader DP Tripathi passes away

January 3, 2020

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Devi Prasad Tripathi passed away after prolonged illness.

Tripathi joined politics at the age of sixteen and was one of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s aides. He joined the NCP in 1999 after leaving the Congress opposing Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origins.

Iran’s Gen Qassem Soleimani killed in US airstrike on Baghdad airport

January 3, 2020

Iran’s top commander General Qassim Soleimani has been killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. Soleimani, who led a special forces unit of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, has been a key figure of Iranian and the Middle East politics.

His death exacerbated already-high tensions between Iran and the United States and triggered concerns of retaliation from Iranian forces. After the news of Soleimani’s death, oil prices jumped more than 4% and fuelling fears of a conflict in the crude-rich region.

Natyasurya Awardee dramatist Ratna Ojha passed away

January 3, 2020

Eminent Assamese dramatist, litterateur and social activist Ratna Ojha passed away due to old-age related ailments. For his contribution to the field of theatre, he received the prestigious Natyasurya Award in 2005.

He had introduced street plays in Assam in 1971 with his skit ‘Kokaideo’ to revive the theatre movement in the state that was fading with the death of his mentor Phani Sarma.