Senior aeronautical scientist and science communicator in Kannada Dr. Sudhindra Haldodderi, 61, passed away in Bengaluru on July 2.
He suffered cardiac arrest last week when he was driving back home and was undergoing treatment in the ICU. He is survived by his wife and daughter. His body has been donated to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, as per his wishes.
Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara had announced the name of Dr. Haldodderi for the annual Dr. Anupama Niranjana Medical and Science Writing Award on July 2 morning.
He was a popular science columnist in Kannada newspapers and regularly wrote on science and technology.
Minister for Kannada and Culture Arvind Limbavali said, “It is such a sad situation, where instead of congratulating him for the award, we are mourning his death.”
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, he was a subject matter expert on Aircraft Mechanical Systems. He served for 22 years at Defence Research & Development Organisation and later as Head of Power Plant and Fuel System at the Aircraft Research and Design Centre of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. He later worked as Director, Alliance College of Engineering and Design, Alliance University.