Current Affairs February 2020 - Deaths

1 - Hollywood veteran actor Kirk Douglas passed away

Hollywood legend and veteran actor Kirk Douglas passed away at the age of 103 years. Douglas was prolific as a film actor, with more than 90 credits to his name - ranging over six decades from the 1940s to the 2000s.

Douglas is best-known for his role as Spartacus, which won four Oscars and was so popular that its iconic "I am Spartacus" scene entered the pop culture lexicon. He received the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor from President Jimmy Carter in 1981.

2 - Veteran social activist and feminist writer Vidya Bal passed away

Veteran social activist and feminist writer Vidya Bal passed away. She was best known for her heroic oppressive practices such as fight for women’s rights and equality with men. Vidya wrote several books such as Katha Gaurichi, Shodh Swatahacha, Tumachya Majhyasathi, Sanwad etc. Her books described freedom of women, feminism and rehabilitation of women’s rights.

Miloon Saryajani, famous women’s magazine was edited by Vidya. She served as editorial staff of monthly Stree and worked as full-time editor in Stree.

3 - Sahitya Akademi Awardee Jaswant Singh Kanwal passed away

Eminent Punjabi writer and Sahitya Akademi Award winner Jaswant Singh Kanwal passed away. He was best known for his book ‘Pakhi’ (Hand Fan) for which he was honored with Sahitya Akademi Fellowship award. He was also honored with Sahitya Akademi award for his novel ‘Taushali Di Hanso’ in 1998.

Jaswant Singh received the Sahitya Shiromani Award of the Punjab government in 2007. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, conferred on Kanwal the degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) for his contribution to Punjabi literature.

4 - Odia revolutionary poet Rabi Singh passed away

Eminent Odia poet and freedom fighter Rabi Singh passed away. Some of his best written collections were ‘Patha Prantara Kabita’, ‘Charama Patra’, ‘Sithila Balga’, ‘Lal Pagoda Ra Preta O Anya Kabita’, ‘Bhrukuti’ ‘Bidirna’, ‘Padatika’ and ‘Apritikara Kabita’.

Rabi Singh was honored with Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman by Odisha Sahitya Akademi in 2017 for his contribution to Odia literature. He was popularly known as ‘Biplabi Kabi’ (the revolutionary poet) for his patriotic writings.

5 - Former Assam Speaker Pranab Kumar Gogoi passed away

Former Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly Pranab Kumar Gogoi passed away. He was an Indian lawyer and politician from Assam belonging to Indian National Congress. He has served as a minister in Tarun Gogoi-led cabinet from 2006-2011 and as Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly in 2011. He was first elected to the Assam assembly in 2001.

In 2015, Pranab Kumar took the definition of the term ‘Assamese’. During the previous Congress government, Pranab Gogoi had come out with a definition of the term 'Assamese'.

6 - Renowned writer P Parameswaran passed away in Kerala

Renowned writer and the founder director of Bharatiya Vichara Kendram, P Parameswaran, passed away in Kerala. He authored several books on Indian philosophy and society such as ‘Vishwa Vijayi Vivekanandan’, ‘From Marx to Maharshi’, ‘Gita's Vision of an Ideal Society’ and ‘Heart Beats of Hindu Nation’.

P Parameswaran served as President of Vivekananda Kendra. He worked as editor of the magazine 'Kesari' and 'Manthan' He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2018, Hanuman Prasad Poddar Award and Padma Shri in 2004.

7 - Padma Shri awardee Giriraj Kishore passed away

Veteran Hindi novelist and Padma Shri awardee Giriraj Kishore passed away. He was best known for his novel ''Pehla Girmitiya'' that was based on Mahatma Gandhi''s stay in South Africa. Some of his best literature works were ‘Baa (Kasturba Gandhi- a bio fiction)’, ‘Aanjaney jayate’, 'Dhaai Ghar', ‘Parishishta’ and 'Pahla Girmitiyaa'.

He was awarded the Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi award. He was also conferred the Vyas Samman in 2000, and an honorary Ph.D. by Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj University in 2002.

8 - American Author Roger Kahn passed away

American Author Roger Kahn passed away. He was best known for his book 'Boys of Summer'. The book was considered as one of the finest books ever written about sports. He wrote at least 20 books in his lifetime such as ‘Inside Big League Baseball’,’ The Seventh Game’,’ A Season in the Sun’ and ‘The World of John Lardner’.

He wrote biography of legendary boxer Jack Dempsey before Jack got banned from the game. He was honored with National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and E. P. Dutton Award for best sports magazine article.

9 - Veteran cricket journalist Raju Bharatan passed away

Veteran cricket journalist and film historian Raju Bharatan passed away. He worked as columnist for Sportstar and Indian cricket for many years. He was associated with ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’, and an Indian films weekly newspaper, Screen.

Raju Bharatan directed the first full-length cricket documentary for Films Division named as "The Victory Story" in 1974. He penned various books such as "Rivals in the Sun"(1952), "Indian Cricket - The Vital Phase" (1977) “Lata Mangeshkar - A Biography” (1995), “A Journey Down Melody Lane” (2009) and “Naushadnama: The Life and Music of Naushad” (2013).

10 - Veteran journalist Nandu R Kulkarni passed away

Veteran journalist Nandu R Kulkarni passed away. He served as Bureau Chief of the Kolkata-based newspaper The Statesman since 1992. He was considered as an authority on political and banking beats. He reported on a wide range of subjects including politics, business, related scams of the early 1990s and other fields.

Nandu R Kulkarni started his career in 1976 with 'The Indian Express' and worked there for 16 years.

11 - Padma Shri awardee Wendell Rodricks passed away

Internationally-famed fashion designer and Padma Shri awardee Wendell Rodricks passed away. He penned various books such as Greenroom, Poskem: Goans in the shadows and Moda Goa- History & Style. He has served as social activist for queer rights and environmental issues in India. He supported local education, cultural associations, the Red Cross and the Alliance Francaise in Goa.

Rodricks was honored with Padma Shri in 2014 and Chevalier de I'Ordre des Arts etLettres (Knight of the order of arts and letters) in 2015.

12 - Nobel Prize awardee Rajendra Kumar Pachauri passed away

Former Chairman and Director General of The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) Rajindra Kumar Pachauri passed away. He served as chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and was succeeded by Hoesung Lee. The IPCC was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize during his tenure in 2007.

Environmentalist Pachauri received Padma Vibhushan in 2008, Padma Bhushan in 2001, Officer of the Legion of Honour' and Order of the White Rose of Finland. He penned books such as Return to Almora and Moods and Musings.

13 - Veteran Bengali actor and former TMC MP Tapas Pal passed away

Popular Bengali film actor and former Trinamul Congress MP Tapas Pal passed away at the age of 61years. He won a Filmfare Award for his role in Saheb (1981). He was last seen on screen in the 2013 movie Khiladi.

Pal was a two-term MP from Krishnanagar and MLA from Alipore. In 2016, the actor was arrested by CBI officials for alleged involvement in the multi-crore Rose Valley chit fund scam. He was awarded bail 13 months after the arrest.

14 - Greatest woman golfer, Mickey Wright passed away

Mickey Wright, often described as the greatest woman golfer of all times, passed away at the age of 85 years. Her haul of 13 major victories included four US Women's Open titles and four US Women's PGA Championships.

Wright had accumulated 82 titles of Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour titles during a professional career which stretched from 1954 to 1969. She won the 1954 World Amateur Championship before turning professional. She retired at an early age of 34.

15 - Former Indian footballer Ashok Chatterjee passed away

Former Indian footballer Ashok Chatterjee passed away. He made 30 appearances for the senior national team and scored 10 goals for India. He was known for playing with bronze-medal winning teams in the Merdeka Cup in 1965 and 1966. He was honoured with Mohun Bagan Lifetime Achievement Award by the club in 2019 and represented Bengal in Santosh Trophy in 1964 (runners-up).

Ashok Chatterjee was part of the winning East Bengal teams in Calcutta Football League (1970, 1971), IFA Shield (1970), Durand Cup (1970), and the Rovers Cup in 1969.

16 - Egypt's former President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak passed away

Egypt's former President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak, who ruled the country for 30 years, passed away at the age of 91 years. A former air force chief, Mubarak became President of Egypt in 1981. He provided slow but steady economic growth to Egypt.

After almost three decades in power, Mubarak, was forced to resign on February 11, 2011, following 18 days of protests around the country. Mubarak's ouster came in the heady Arab Spring days, soon after Tunisians overthrew their leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.