K.R. Datye passes away passed on 28th September, 2008

Eminent engineer K.R.Datye passed away on 28th September. Sri.K R Datye was an eminent senior Civil Engineer based in Mumbai with over 30 years of experience in planning, construction and operation of large scale irrigation, hydropower and infrastructure projects in India and Africa. He had worked both in Government and as an independent consultant for large private and public sector corporations and was even a consultant for the Nigerian River Basin Authority. He had served on international committees charged with development and standardization of technical norms in hydraulic and geotechnical engineering. For the last 15 -18 years, he had been deeply involved in rural development activities, initiating and leading a number of technology development projects in water, infrastructure and energy sectors. He continued to be involved in policy making committees, concerned with agriculture and rural development activities at both State and Federal government levels. He was a founding member of the Centre for Applied Systems Analysis and Development (CASAD) and Society for People's Participation in Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM). Exploring Energy Pathways is a documentary that explores his life and work, particularly including renewable building materials like bamboo, solar technologies and his philosophy of rural development. This 50 minute video has been uploaded and can be viewed for free here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6618479700629446868&ei=UPnhSKzvA4TMwgP1sYygCw&q=Exploring+Energy+Pathways+Datye Banking on Biomass is a book written by him: http://www.bestwebbuys.com/9788186385081 Some more links to his work and talks, on the web: http://www.isep.or.jp/other/spena/1999/datye.html http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/aid/web/activities/talks/datye_2000.html http://india.bigpatents.org/view/62407/462d2f4e389 A message from SOPPECOM on his demise is copied here: ==== Dear All We regret to inform you that K. R. Datye passed away yesterday (28 September) a little after noon. He had been hospitalised and was on life support system. Unfortunately, all the doctor's efforts could not revive him. While his ideas will live on through all of us losing him is an irreparable loss. WE were so used to treating him as indestructible and indefatigable that it is difficult to accept the bald fact of his demise. We offer our heartiest condolences to Manoramabai, Abhaya and Vandana and all his family and assure them we are all with them in this hour of grief. Suhas Paranjape K. J. Joy Seema Kulkarni ====