J. Narayana Rao Presente!

 

Rao's son Ramesh just wrote and said, "Father breathed his last at 11:50 PM yesterday night".

 

I responded with, "Thank you Ramesh for telling us. Our hearts are with your family. We were honored to call Rao a friend and co-worker. He was a great man. I will miss him very much."

 

This is a devastating loss to the Global Network and to those who got to know Rao.

 

We must thank Tamara Lorincz for helping us to know in the first place that he was in the hospital.

 

Tamara writes: 

I went to India for a peace & disarmament conference. It was an incredible experience. Rao took me to Gandhi’s Sevagram Ashram that’s a picture of him and me under the great tree at the ashram. Rao also took me to Deekshabhoomi, the Buddhist monument and place to remember Ambedkar. It was a real privilege to know him and see him in India for that I thank the Global Network.
With sadness,
Tamara

 

Law professor Aruna Kammila writes from India:

 

Very sad to know, I personally visited him, couple of months ago, when he came to Visakhapatnam. In fact every time he comes to his daughter's place at Visakhapatnam, I go visit him and discuss, how we can contribute to the Global Network's cause.  I have even posted the book and he congratulated me. Asked me to send any publication in future. Honestly a huge loss to all of us. Without his support I wouldn't have been a member. May his soul RIP.

Our Global Network board convener Dave Webb from the UK writes:

 

So sorry to hear this sad news. Rao was a lovely, humble man who was a dedicated campaigner for peace in space and on Earth. His knowledge and understanding guided us through so many visits, meetings and conferences in India and he was a major contributor to GN strategy and business. 

We will miss his input and his presence. We should definitely hold a memorial meeting online in the near future. My condolences and best wishes to Rao's family.

Dr. Geetha Thachil, a retired Associate Professor from the M.S.S. Institute of Social Work, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India writes:

 

I have very fond memories of him...his vivacity and contagious laughter will be etched in my mind always...it was he who brought you to my college in Nagpur where you [Bruce] addressed my students and staff...on space weaponization and the urgent need to stop this....Mr. Rao's genuine regard for the less fortunate, his enthusiasm to help them and his selfless help in working for the railway pensioners are all rare qualities to be found these days....His ability to connect to the youngsters was something that always drew praise...he could strike a wavelength with them which was remarkable....His anti-nuclear work is so praiseworthy...he worked tirelessly on what he believed in...he was a humble and kind soul....shall always miss him...The many seminars he organized on themes that he held dear deserves special mention....the amount of trouble he would undergo to organize these programmes...

I know that he had great respect for you, Mr. Dave and many others and I wish to offer my humble condolences to this great man....

I've seen alot of really great activist leaders pass on during my time as an organizer. They are all hard to take.

 

Rao was another of these great figures - I will carry his memory and spirit with me always.

 

See what I wrote about him just a week ago here 

 

Bruce