Deepest Condolences We have lost a comrade in arms
Teesta On Mon, Aug 5, 2013 at 11:10 AM, va ravaraao <[email protected]> wrote: > dear ram punyani > thank you for introducing such a eare crsadar for democratic culture and > human values whom i missed know during his life time. v.v. > > ------------------------------ > *From:* ram puniyani <[email protected]> > *To:* ram puniyani <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Monday, 5 August 2013 7:27 AM > *Subject:* [humanrights-movement:6952] Sad Demise of Pradeep Deshpande: > Writer, Translator, Activist > > *Pradeep Deshpande * > > *Passing away of a quiet crusader* > > > Ram Puniyani > > Pradeep Deshpande, the well known writer, translator and activist passed > away in a Mumbai hospital, after a prolonged illness on 4th August 2013. > I am hesitant to use the word prolonged illness, as though he was suffering > from Cancer from last one year, his spirits were never down, he was doing > his favorite work of writing most of the time, and barring few weeks > including the last week, he was mostly in a positive and cheerful > predisposition. In his death he has communicated to us a valuable lesson as > to how to deal with disease, even if it be cancer. His attitude towards the > disease was such that the suffering caused by the illness is not overstated > and one keeps up with one’s work and engagements with a positive attitude. > > Pradeep approached my nearly a decade and a half ago, searching my address > through a friend. In response to the rising tide of the communal politics, > I wrote a tract, ‘Fascism of Sangh Parivar’. He came over to seek my > permission for translating the book. I was happy that an author is offering > to take the work to Marathi speaking world and it was a heartening thing > for me. But that was just the beginning. Following this he undertook upon > himself to take the work of translating, publishing and disseminating the > books related to communal harmony and national integration, with great > amount of zeal and enthusiasm. It is remarkable the way he lapped up new > relevant work and engrossed himself in translating it. This of course was > in addition to his own regular writings, columns in dailies like Mahanagar > and lately Divya Marathi. He was also writing lot of invited articles > sought by other publications and taking a keen interest to ensure that the > publishers undertake this work and then disseminate it far and wide. He was > more focused on ensuring that the message reaches the people as much as > possible. > > When he approached me I did not know him much except to realize his deep > commitment to progressive values. His commitment to the cause became more > obvious when he took voluntary retirement from his job, even before he > turned 50. His unique interpretation of Indian mythology and history was > something I admired and thought over it to shape my own understanding of > this complex area of our social commitment, i.e. fighting the communal > forces. In an uncompromising way he kept up his struggle through his mighty > pen against the forces trying to divide the nation in the name of religion. > Our regular discussions on these topics led us to take up the topics of > communal presentation of Shivaji, to counter which we brought out > *Sarvadharmsambhavi > Shivaji Maharaj*. Seized with the issue of rising wave of terror, we > brought out *Dahshatvad Mithke ani Vastav*. > > Pradeep was basically a literary person, poet, fiction writer and > commentator on social issues. His poems in Marathi and sometimes in Hindi > are very touching and are also a commentary on the social realities of our > times. His concern for gender issues was manifest all through with his > close association with women’s rights groups like *Stree Mukti Sangthan *and > his independent writing on the subject. His in-depth understanding of caste > oppression in the country is also manifest through his own book, *Manusmriti > Ajun Jadte aahe*, which has gone into several editions so far. His > understanding was very rational and he associated himself with the work of > promotion of rational thought, science education in particular through *Lok > Vigyan Samiti*. Through talks and exercises he communicated the basic > scientific concepts to students and young generation. > > His columns on topical issues first in Mahanagar and then in Divya Marathi > got a very good response from the readers. Being multifaceted he also > helped publication of the writings on Islam by scholars like Abdul Kadar > Mukadam, in particular. > > He also worked for many organizations in carrying out their work of great > importance to the society, particularly D.D. Kosambi Memorial Trust, Ekta, > Committee for Communal Amity and All India Secular forum. One will miss > this dynamic and steady, writer-activist, for times to come. His gentle and > mild nature endeared him to a large circle of friends. More than anything > it is a personal loss to me. Personally speaking I am yet to recover from > the loss of another of my close friend Asghar Ali Engineer, who we lost a > couple of months ago, and here comes another blow to me as a person. I just > hope the inspiration of both these friends’ life and work will be a guiding > force for future. > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "humanrights movement" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > . > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement. > > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "humanrights movement" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > . > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement. > > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > -- Teesta Setalvad 'Nirant', Juhu Tara Road, Juhu, Mumbai - 400 049 http://teestasetalvad.blogspot.com/ www.cjponline.org www.gujarat-riots.com www.sabrang.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. 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