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The Final Goodbye

2019 has left a void in our hearts.

From Bollywood veterans and Hollywood celebrities to political stalwarts, we lost several personalities over the span of one year.

While big names like politicians Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld lost their lives after battling prolonged illnesses, others like businessman VG Siddhartha and actor Kushal Punjabi succumbed to their mental health struggles.

Here's a look at all the influential figures we bid adieu to this year, but they continue to stay in our hearts.

Kushal Punjabi

2019 ended on a sad note after news of TV star Kushal Punjabi's suicide broke. The 37-year-old actor, best known for his appearance in films like 'Lakshya', 'Andaz' and 'Kaal', was found hanging at his Mumbai residence on December 27.

The actor who was last seen in popular TV series 'Ishq Mein Marjawan' left a one-and-a-half page suicide note, specifying that nobody should be held responsible for his death. In his letter, he wrote that 50 per cent of his property should be distributed equally among his parents and sister, while the remaining 50 per cent be given to his three-year-old son Kian.

Punjabi started his career as a dancer and model. He appeared in several music videos such as 'Pehla Nasha' (remix) and DJ Aqeel's 'Kehdoon Tumhen' recreation.

Dr Shreeram Lagoo

The year saw a lot of veteran bid their final goodbyes, and one of them was veteran Marathi theatre and cinema stalwart Dr Shreeram Lagoo. The prolific character artiste, who was seen in numerous Bollywood movies, passed away after a cardiac arrest at his Pune residence on December 17 at 92.

He was a trained ENT surgeon by profession, but followed his passion for acting and theatre. He played an important role in the growth of theatre movement in Maharashtra in the post-Independence era alongside Vijay Tendulkar, Vijaya Mehta and Arvind Deshpande.

He is well-known for his roles in Marathi plays such as 'Natsamrat' and 'Himalayachi Saoli', and V Shantaram's 'Pinjra' made him popular.

In Bollywood, Lagoo essayed memorable roles in films like 'Ek Din Achanak', 'Gharonda', 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar' and 'Laawaris'. He played Gopal Krishna Gokhale in Richard Attenborough's 'Gandhi'.

Gary Rhodes

Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes, who put British cuisine on the map, passed away from a head injury after collapsing in his Dubai home at the age of 59 on November 26. His family confirmed that after a nice meal with family he suddenly collapsed and died due to subdural haematoma, bleeding between the skull and brain.

The chef, who earned his first Michelin star at 26, was known to introduce the culture of gastropub to the world. He was also seen in popular international shows like 'MasterChef' and 'Hell's Kitchen'.

Shaukat Kaifi Azmi

Veteran actor Shaukat Kaifi Azmi's demise was a loss for Indian theatre and cinema. Shabana Azmi's mother, who was last seen in Shaadi Ali's 'Saathiya', passed away on November 22 in her early '90s due to age-related ailments in Mumbai.

The stage thespian, along with her husband and celebrated Urdu poet and film lyricist Kaifi Azmi, was a leading light of the Indian People's Theatre Association and the Progressive Writers Association, which were the cultural platforms of the Communist Party of India.

She was also seen in movies like 'Bazaar', 'Umrao Jaan' and Mira Nair's Oscar-nominated film 'Salaam Bombay!'.