Sunderlal Bahuguna dies of COVID-19: Environmentalist's death 'massive loss' for India, says Modi

Noted environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna passed away today (21 May, 2021) due to COVID-19 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh.

Bahuguna, 94, who as conferred with the Padma Vibhushan for his contribution to environmental protection, was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 for over a week now. He was admitted to the hospital on 8 May after testing positive for the 2019 SARS coronavirus .

He had been critical since last night as his oxygen level was dropping consistently. Bahuguna breathed his last at 12.05 pm in Uttarakhand this afternoon, AIIMS Director Ravikant said.

Paying tribute to the environmentalist credited for the success of the Chipko Movement, President Ram Nath Kovind took to Twitter saying that Bahuguna’s departure marks the end of a glorious chapter in the field of conservation.

https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1395657800164929538?s=20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed Bahuguna's passing away a massive loss for the country. Modi further hailed the Padma Vibhushan’s simplicity and spirit of compassion that, he said, will never be forgotten.

https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1395650299046543367?s=20

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat expressed grief and described Bahuguna's demise as a big loss not just to the state, the country but to the entire world.

“It was he who made the Chipko movement a movement of the masses,” Rawat said.

His death has created a void in the field of environment conservation that can never be filled again, the chief minister added.

https://twitter.com/TIRATHSRAWAT/status/1395646501888565252

Born on 9 January, 1927, Bahuguna is known for his revolutionary role in the Chipko Movement which was a non-violent agitation in 1973. It was aimed towards the protection and conservation of trees, but it will always be remembered for the collective mobilisation of women in preserving the forest. This movement was launched along with other community and environmental leaders to save the region’s forests.

During the later part of his life, Bahuguna was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan and many other laurels to his name for his ever-growing pioneering work in the field of environment protection.