Condolence Page

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The students, faculty and staff of the South Asian University express their heartfelt condolences on the untimely and sudden demise of our President, our leader, our friend, philosopher and guide in all situations, our own Professor G.K. Chadha. He was a person of high ethics, humility and charm. Everyone who came into his contact; whether a faculty, staff or a student felt his warmth and established a direct bond with him forever. His touch is visible everywhere in the University and above all is felt in our hearts.

Professor Chadha was one of the greatest advocates of cooperation and friendship in South Asian Region. He used to call himself a citizen of SAARC. In his sad demise, the people of South Asian region in general and South Asian University in particular have lost a great academician, a visionary, a humanist and a proponent of regional cooperation and development.

The entire SAU community conveys its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and pray for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

123 Comments

  1. My deep condolences to Prof. Chadha’s family. Prof. Chadha’s sudden demise is a huge loss to the South Asian University community in many ways. His contribution by way of playing a significant role in the realization of the SAU project will be remembered forever by the people of South Asia. Despite differences of opinion, Prof. Chadha was always open to listen to the opposite views. He was accessible to almost every member of the SAU community without much hierarchy. He will be remembered as an academic, institution builder and more importantly as a humane person.

    Srinivas Burra
    Assistant Professor
    Faculty of Legal Studies
    South Asian University

  2. A wonderful and visionary guy with great ambitions especially for the people of South Asia. He will be surely missed but his followers and successors must continue the great work initiated by Professor G.K. Chadha. Sad to hear about this loss of the reigon.

    May God bless his soul. Ameen.

    Nadeem Javeri
    Director Finance
    Sukkur IBA
    Pakistan

  3. It Shrink my heart to know the sad demise of Prof G.K Professor Chadha, I remember one year back I had some communication related to opening new department of Sustainable Development, I find a quick response. Very kind hearted man with equal importance for all who ever has approached him .

    Dr Gokul Acharjee
    Rural Development Center
    IIT Kharagpur.

  4. I learnt about the sad demise of Dr. Chadha with great sorrow and pain.I had a brief telephonic interaction with him when my son-first Pakistani student, was studying at SAU.
    I found him a very responsible and kind person; and my son was equally impressed by his noble figure.
    He has left strong foot prints on the SAU’s landscape, and high standards of integrity and acumen to follow.I believe his death is a great loss to SAU and the intellectual community .
    We in Pakistan share this loss and pray for the departed soul.Kindly convey our condolences to the berieved family.

  5. GK Chadha: The visionary who brought South Asia together, gave greater meaning to SAARC, renowned academic, great administrator, and most of all a wonderful human being. We will remember you as the best diplomat of South Asia.
    Professor Nayani Melegoda
    Head, Department of International Relations
    University of Colombo

  6. I m out of words to set my condolence message in black and white, on the untimely demise of Professor GK Chadha. It is a great loss of South Asian University Staff and Students as well.
    May the departed Soul rest in peace and bestow bereaved his Personal Family and Academic Family the strength to bear this irreparable loss!

    Advocate Deedar A. Daudpota
    Tando Allahyar, Sindh

  7. I joined South Asian University because I am genuinely interested in the idea of South Asia. I have nothing but great respect for a visionary like Professor Chadha who translated this vague sensibility into something as concrete as a university.

    Professor Chadha welcomed me warmly on my first day at work, and his door remained open every time I needed advice or help, as a foreigner in India and a newcomer into Indian academia.

    I think of him as someone who would really go out of his way to reach out to those above and below rank. He kept his doors open for those who agreed with him but also those who disagreed — a democratic spirit that homes/organisations cannot do without.

    We will miss him. May his soul rest in peace. Aniccavata Sankhara.

  8. Dear All,
    It is an unbearable loss not only to our family but to the society at large . He is my Grandfather (my mother’s Maternal Uncle) . I will not use pass tense after his name because he is still alive in me and will remain alive and remind me always about my Ethics ,Values and Responsibilities towards My students , My workplace ,My country and My Family . He always live for others selflessly. People like him are very rarely born . He is a great Moral and Personal Support to me and guided me in all my professional spheres of my life. I want to take his noble vision forward as a part of the family and academic Community . He always provide selfless service and dedicate himself for the growth and success of others .He always shows me a wise and right path which may be difficult and long but always full of good practices . I am writing a book on Life skills which I am dedicating to my grand Father because he is an Epitome of Truth ,Honesty , Dedication and Commitment .As his name itself speaks about his traits a true leader which is as follows:
    GOPAL stands for
    G-Genius
    O-Optimistic
    P-Patriotic
    A-Assertive
    L- Leader

    He is always with us forever and will remain alive our Hearts .
    Sincerely your’s

    Dr Monika Suri
    Associate Professor ,
    AURO UNIVERSITY ,SURAT ,GUJARAT

  9. It was with great sadness that we at Nihon Fukushi University, and particularly the Graduate School of International Social Development, received the news of the passing of South Asian University President & Professor G. K. Chadha.

    Professor Chadha had been a great friend to the Graduate School of International Social Development ever since our foundation, and many of our students were lucky enough to have the opportunity to learn from him, particularly through the India Summer School, which focused on regional development in South Asia. Our students have been able to gain a far deeper understanding of India through Professor Chadha and his thoughtful instruction. The memory of his participation, here in Japan, in the 10th Anniversary celebrations at our school on 23-24th November 2012, is still very fresh. We mourn his loss and send our heartfelt condolences.

    With very best wishes

    Ryu NIKI (Principal, Nihon Fukushi University)
    Satoshi CHIKAMI (Dean of Graduate School of International Social Development, Nihon Fukushi University)

  10. I am deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden demise of Late Prof. G.K. Chadha sir, a great visionary leader of South Asian University.
    I will never forget the opening day of SAU Cafeteria, when Chadha sir asked me about my department and after knowing that I am a student of Biotechnology; He asked me ” which food item you want to be available in the cafeteria, when you will come from the lab in the late evening.” He also told me that ” you should work hard for the scientific development of South Asian Region.”
    I will really miss you sir…
    May the departed soul rest in eternal peace!
    Niranjan Kumar
    MBT, FLSB
    SAU, New Delhi

  11. Sad demise of Prof GK Chadha has created a void that cannot be filled. It is a great personal loss for me since we were friends for last few decades. Our close association started in 2002 when he was appointed VC of JNU and offered the position of Pro-VC to me. I recall I was working in a research laboratory in USA that summer of 2002 when his affectionate phone call came and in his usual jovial way he asked me to help him as a Rector. Later in 2008 when he was appointed the CEO of the South Asian University project, he again insisted that I join him to steer the project as an OSD. When the university formally opened, we became a team of President and Vice President. We thoroughly enjoyed working with each other.

    As the numerous condolence messages convey, the USP of Prof. Chadha was his great and rather unique ability to connect with people. He was a great communicator and had some magic in him that allowed him to connect with any one, be it students, faculty, staff or even total strangers. I on the other hand, was more reserved and remained a busy-bee with the nuts and bolts of university operations that Prof. Chadha had shifted in my box of responsibilities. We thus formed a rather effective and efficient team. With him gone, I miss him greatly and often feel that he would just walk in my office as he very often did.

    Men like him, unfortunately are very rare and sometimes I think that God does not make that kind any more. While it is true that everyone remembers Prof. Chadha and his personal warmth so fondly, it is also true that how-so-ever we wish, we cannot become him. We are what we are. But we can certainly try to emulate him in being kind to all, extending a helping hand to those who need it and by not being too stingy with our smiles for others. I recall few lines of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar:
    Ramdhari Singh Dinkar Poem
    Prof, Chadha was like a shining Deepak that illuminated our paths. We miss him and assure him that our efforts in furthering the cause of SAU will not be wanting in any way.

    Prof. Rajiv K. Saxena
    VP SAU

  12. Professor Chadha was someone very special to me. He was my close friend, guide and a senior colleague. He was deeply committed to any responsibility that he decided to shoulder. His stamina to work relentlessly was just enviable. Perhaps, I have not met any other workaholic like him so far. He had no undue pride in himself. His intelligence, charm, sense of humour and warmth made him an extraordinarily attractive human being. He had a unique ability to communicate on on different wave lengths and in the process he became friendly with a wide variety of individuals. We can all pay an appropriate tribute to him at the South Asian University (SAU) by working tirelessly to translate his dream of building the SAU as a center of academic excellence. May his soul rest in peace and let the Almighty give courage to his family members to bear the shock of his sudden demise.

  13. I am deeply saddened to learn about the sad demise of late Professor G. K. Chadha, President of South Asian University, the Emeritus Professor and former Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. On behalf of the government and on my own behalf, I would like to convey my deepest condolences and sympathies to the bereaved family members of Late Professor Chadha.

    Prof Chadha is known to be one of the greatest promoters of regional cooperation in South Asia. With his demise, the region, no doubt, has lost a great academician and a humanist.

    May his departed soul rest in eternal peace.

    Md. Shahidul Haque
    Foreign Secretary
    Govt of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

  14. I wish to inform the South Asian University that I am deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden demise of Prof. G.K. Chadha, incumbent President of the South Asian University.

    I myself had the rare privilege of working closely with Prof. Chadha while the SAARC member countries were laying the building blocks for the establishment of the South Asian University and I was privy to the strenuous efforts made by Prof. Chadha to make the South Asian University a reality. It was his dream to make the University an outstanding academic institution in the region with the unique them bringing in young South Asian together under the aegis of the South Asian University.

    May the departed soul rest in peace and may the bereaved family have the forbearance to cope up with the tragic loss of Prof. Chadha.

    Mrs. R.D. Rajapakse,
    Director General (SAARC),
    Ministry of External Affairs,
    Sri Lanka.

  15. The Odisha Economic Association deeply mourns the sudden demise of Prof. G.K. chadha, President SAU, a distinguished economist and a versatile educational administrator. We pray God to give courage and strength to Mrs. Chadha and her family in this difficult hour and peace to the departed soul.

    Dr. R.N.Patra
    Deputy Director (Studies) & Secretary, Odisha Economics Association

  16. It seems to me that the words of Spanish poet Francisco Gómez de Quevedo y Santibáñez Villegas (14 September 1580 – 8 September 1645) aptly captures the mood that was created with the demise of Prof G.K. Chadha:

    “It will leave its body, not its cares;
    they will be ashes, but still will feel;
    dust they will be, but dust in love.”

    Just as much as the death of Prof Chadha brought to my mind the words of Quevedo, it also reminded me of the Pali adage ‘anicca vata sankhara’ often heard in Therevadin Buddhist societies in the context of death, which literally mean “impermanent, alas, are all formations.” However, death as a necessary component of life cannot and should not obliterate memory of the living.

    Sasanka Perera
    Faculty of Social Sciences
    South Asian University

  17. Unbelievable news to the academia of South Asia.
    Professor Chadha, what you have planted has germinated and half evolved. Only motivational spirits remained with us. Your imprints and deeds will Gide us. Wish a deep condolence to SAU family and SA Academics fraternity.

    Professor of Environmental Science
    Tribhuvan University, Nepal
    Chairman, JNU Alumni, Nepal

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