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January 2002
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An Era Ends...
Dewang Mehta
Dewang Mehta, head of the
National Association of Software
and Services Companies
(NASSCOM) died on April 12,
2001 at Sydney, Australia. In
1998, he was appointed member
of High Powered National IT Task
Force set up by the Prime
Minister. Dewang promoted the
concept of India as a software
superpower. He brought the
perception shift towards the primacy of the PC and
the emergence of the Internet as an important
opportunity. In a single stroke, he roped in issues
relevant to ISPs, Internet technology, telecom
infrastructure and e-commerce. He did this not just
within India, but globally. Dewang created the same
kind of network to exert extraordinary influence on
many powerful people abroad. He never missed an
opportunity to apply his immense lobbying skills
to the advantage of India. He had a significant role
in building the perception of the superiority of
Indian software talent.
Scott Elliott
Scott Elliott, Founder,
Editor and Publisher of
online publication
“Directions Magazine”
passed away on January
10, 2001, after a long
battle with lung cancer.
Directions Magazine
featured articles, in his
leadership, from leading professionals in
GIS industry establishing Directions
Magazine as a site of repute in Geospatial
industry. Prior to Directions Magazine,
Scott played a major role in the desktop
mapping and demographics industry as
the founder and President of data
publishing company called Wessex. GIS
community will miss Scott and his
unquenchable enthusiasm for
challenging the status quo of GIS
industry.
Anil Agarwal
Anil Agarwal, 54,
Chairperson of the New
Delhi based Centre for
Science and Environment,
passed away in Dehradun
after a prolonged illness on January 2, 2001.
Anil will always be remembered for his significant
contribution in generating awareness about
environment as an editor of Down to Earth, a science
and environment magazine. He has written for several
international publications including the London-based
journals Earthscan and New Scientist. He has
written and edited more than 20 books on science
and environment in India. From 1983 to 1987,
Agarwal chaired the world’s largest network of
environmental NGOs, the Nairobi-based
Environment Liasion Centre. In 1987, the United
Nations Environment Programme elected him to its
Global 500 Honor Roll for his work in the national
and international arena. The Indian Government has
also honored him with Padma Shri and Padma
Bushan for his work in environment and
development.
Satish Dhawan
Renowned space
scientist and former
chairman of Indian
Space Research
Organisation Prof.
Satish Dhawan passed
away in Bangalore on
January 3, 2002. Till last
year, eighty-two-year-old
Dr. Dhawan had
been a member of the Space Commission.
It was under his leadership that India
launched its first satellite, Aryabhatta. He
took over as the first Secretary of the
Department of Space in 1972 and also
became chairman of Space Commission in
the same year. Prof. Dhawan has received
several awards including Padma Shri,
Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and the
Indira Gandhi Award for National
Integration.
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