Hyderabad: Well-known writer, researcher and former bureaucrat Vasant Kumar Bawa has passed away on Monday at his residence at Road Number 12, Banjara Hills.
Bawa, 93, was not keeping well for the last couple of years. He breathed his last at around 11-00am. He is survived by his Avadesh Rani, a scholar from one of the leading families of Kayasth community.
Sajjad Shahed, noted conservation activist and historian quotes Timothy in relations to Bawa which says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
He adds, Bawa was a ‘scholar par excellence and a devout Christian.’
According to Bawa’s wish his body was donated to Gandhi Medical College.
Bawa was the founder editor of Centre for Deccan Studies, a research journal that has played a key role in preserving and promoting the history and culture of the Deccan that is spread over to five States.
After joining Indian Administrative Service (in the formerly State of Andhra Pradesh) somewhere in 1960s he launched himself to pursue his first love that is research. He carried out his Ph D from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, on Salar Jung, the first. Salar Jung had played a key role in reviving the fortunes of the Hyderabad State in various capacities between 1853 and 1883.
Earlier, he had done his Masters from Georgetown University in Latin American affairs.
Among his well-known roles was that he served as the Founder Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive, Hyderabad Urban Development Authority and gave a picture of shapes of things that could be done in the city.
His book, The Last Nizam – The Life and Times of Mir Osman Ali Khan, became very popular but it begot him criticism as a scholar who was against the Seventh Nizam.
A popular personality among educated circles of Hyderabad he struggled at every possible stage for the betterment of the city and the condition of its people.
A memorial service will be held at St Luke’s Hindustani Church located in Chirag Ali Lane on January 21.
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