Current Affairs - Obituary

Fauja Singh, famously known as the ‘Turbaned Tornado’, was the world’s oldest marathon runner who passed away at the age of 114 after a tragic accident on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway in Punjab. Born in 1911, he took up running at 89 and completed multiple marathons across major global cities like London, New York, and Toronto. He also carried the Olympic torch for both the 2004 Athens and 2012 London Olympics. Fauja Singh became a global symbol of strength, endurance, and fitness in old age, featuring alongside sports icons like Muhammad Ali and David Beckham in international campaigns.

Vijay Rupani, who served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2016 to 2021, tragically lost his life in a plane crash involving a London-bound Dreamliner that crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad. His untimely death makes him the second former Gujarat CM to perish in an air accident, following Balwantrai Mehta in 1965. Rupani was a significant political figure in Gujarat’s recent history and held various key positions within the BJP. His demise marks a moment of profound loss for the political community and the state of Gujarat.

Dr. M.R. Srinivasan was a key architect of India’s nuclear energy programme and served as the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. He passed away in Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu, at the age of 95. Over his career, he played a pivotal role in the establishment of 18 nuclear power units in India. His contributions were nationally recognized with several civilian honours, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. Dr. Srinivasan’s legacy is instrumental in shaping India's peaceful nuclear capabilities and energy independence.

Dr. K. Kasturirangan served as the Chairman of ISRO from 1994 to 2003, during which he played a pivotal role in transforming India's space program from an experimental phase to a fully operational one. His leadership saw advancements in earth observation, communication satellites, and launch services. Additionally, his initiatives like commercializing space and introducing thematic space missions such as EDUSAT for tele-education and Chandrayaan-1 for lunar exploration had a significant impact on India’s technological and societal growth.

Boris Spassky was a Russian chess grandmaster, born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Soviet Union. He became an International Grandmaster in 1955 and went on to become the 10th World Chess Champion in 1969. Although he later moved to France and represented the country in several chess tournaments, his origins and early career were rooted in Russia. Sadly, Spassky passed away at the age of 88, as confirmed by International Chess Federation (FIDE) general director Emil Sutovsky. His demise marks the end of an era in the chess world, where he left an indelible mark with his strategic brilliance, sportsmanship, and deep understanding of the game.