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Historian Hari Vasudevan, who tested positive for the coronavirus, died of the infection around 1 a.m. on Saturday, reported Anandabazar Patrika. He was 68 years old.
Vasudevan reportedly developed a fever earlier this month and was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata on May 4. He tested positive for the virus two days later. After this, the historian developed respiratory problems and was put on a respirator. Doctors said Vasudevan had other chronic ailments.
The historian, who had a doctorate from Cambridge University, was an expert in European and Russian history and politics. He was also affiliated with various institutions, including the University of Calcutta, Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, and King’s College in London, among others.
Vasudevan was associated with many government panels on education and history. He has served as chairman of the social science textbook development committee of the National Council for Educational Research and Training since 2005, according to The wire.
He had criticized the central government led by Congress for removing satirical cartoons from one of the books during his time as chairman of the textbook development committee. Vasudevan had written an opinion piece in June 2018 in The Indian Express, raising concerns about content modification in textbooks under the administration led by Narendra Modi.
He was director of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute for Asian Studies, an autonomous organization under the ministry of culture, until 2013. The historian was a distinguished visiting member of the Observer Research Foundation and served as head of the Institute for Development Studies, Calcutta
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed his condolences in a statement. “A multifaceted person, he made his mark while participating in a formal consultative capacity with projects / institutions of the Ministry of Culture, MHRD, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India and was Chairman of the Textbook Committee of Development for the NCERT Social Sciences since 2005. His contributions to society will always be remembered. May his soul rest in peace, “he said.
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