Obituary - Current Affairs for May, 2016

Noted Kannada writer D. Javare Gowda, who is popularly known as “De Ja Gow,” passed away at hospital in Mysuru on Monday evening. De Ja Gow, 101, was admitted to Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research here on Saturday night, after he suffered a “heart failure”. He was treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.

Marathi litterateur RG Jadhav known for 91 reflective poems on Mahatma Gandhi passed away following prolonged illness at age 83

• He was a prolific literary critic born in Vadodara, Gujarat
• He taught Marathi literature in numerous colleges like Elphinstone in Mumbai and Milind College in Aurangabad.
• He also presided over the 2004 Marathi Sahitya Sammelan and served as chief editor of Marathi Vishwakosha
• He authored more than 40 works of literacy criticism and poetry including Anadacha Doh, Milee Paha and Bapu.

Veteran communist leader KC Mathew died at a private hospital in Kochi at the age of 92. The prime accused in the attack on the Edappally police station in February 1950, which resulted in a witch-hunt of the communists by the police, he was born in North Paravur

• He graduated from UC College in Aluva and was drawn to communist ideals from college days
• Known as a true Communist, he was genuinely motivated to fulfil the needs of common man

Editor and publisher of the weekly magazine "Begum", Nurjahan Begum, passed away at a Dhaka hospital on Tuesday. She was 91. Nurjahan was admitted to the hospital with respiratory problems on May 4. She had been on life support since May 7.

• President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have both expressed profound shock and grief over her death.
• Born on June 4, 1925, Nurjahan was the daughter of prominent journalist Mohammad Nasiruddin, the editor of the Bangla literary journal Saogat and was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2011.
• Saogat, also called Saugat (presentation) was a leading Bengali literary journal, and was first published from Kolkata in 1918.

Brahic, one of the discoverers of Neptune's rings, died on 15 May 2016 in Paris, France. He was 73. In 1984, Brahic with US astronomer William Hubbard launched a program that led to the discovery of the rings around the gaseous planet Neptune.

• In 2001, he was given the Carl Sagan Medal.
• The rings of Neptune consist primarily of five principal rings and were first discovered in 1984 in Chile.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the passing away of Baba Hardev Singh, spiritual leader and head of Sant Nirankari Mission. Baba Hardev has served as head of the mission during 36 years at the helm.

Famous West Indian cricket writer, commentator and journalist Tony Cozier passed away on 11 May 2016 in Barbados. He was 75 and he became the editor of the Barbados Daily News where he worked with retired cricketer Everton Weekes during the 1990s. He was a member of the BBC commentary team nd covered every Wisden Trophy except one.

Indian National Congress (INC) member of Rajya Sabha Praveen Rashtrapal died on 11 May 2016 after suffering a massive heart attack at 76. He was elected to the 13th Lok Sabha (1999-2004) on behalf of Congress (INC) party from Patan Lok Sabha constituency.
He was a member from the Upper House from April 2006 to April 2012 and was re-elected in April 2012 from the state of Gujarat.

Former J&K Minister and senior Congress leader Romesh Sharma has passed away after a long illness at the age of 65.

• He was an ex Congress Minister from Nowshera Constituency and was also an Ayurvedic doctor
• He won Assembly elections in 2002 and remained MoS Commerce and Industries in Mufti Sayeed’s regime and later MoS PHE and Irrigation & Flood Control in the Gulam Nabi Azad government.

Maharashtra leg spinner Sunil Gudge passed away at Pune following a heart attack

• The leg spinner played 55 first class matches and was part of the trio of Raju Balekar and Milind Fungal to lead the Maharashtrian team

Daniel Berrigan, the Roman Catholic priest and Vietnam war protestor has died at the age of 94. Michael Benigno said Berrigan passed away at Jesuit infirmary in Fordham University

• Berrigan was a peace activists who was imprisoned for burning draft files in protest against the Vietnam war.
• The Catonsville Nine were convicted on federal charges.