In the year 2022, the world bid farewell to numerous prominent figures across various domains, as the shadows of the Covid pandemic persisted alongside other illnesses and the passage of time. Let us remember these remarkable individuals who left a lasting impact on society.

Among the revered personalities in India, the legendary Lata Mangeshkar (92), renowned for lending her melodious voice to generations of Hindi film heroines, including Madhubala and Madhuri Dixit, concluded her illustrious career on February 6. The demise of Queen Elizabeth II (96) on September 8 marked the end of an era for the United Kingdom, where she had been the sole monarch for numerous generations.

The assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (67) on July 8 came as a shock in a country known for its absence of political violence. Mikhail Gorbachev (91), the last leader of the Soviet Union and acclaimed for his role in temporarily ending the Cold War, passed away on August 30, despite mixed sentiments about his leadership.

On May 3 and May 10, respectively, Stanislav Shushkevich (87) and Leonid Kravchuk (88), who were instrumental in the fall of the Soviet Union, died. On March 27, Ayaz Mutallibov (83), who proclaimed Azerbaijan’s independence, left the country.

In the realm of politics, notable figures who left us in 2022 include Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh (95) on January 22, Madeleine Albright (84), the first woman US Secretary of State, on March 23, and Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (73), the second President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi, on May 13. Additionally, Jose Eduardo dos Santos (79), the long-time President of Angola, Jiang Zemin (96), the influential Chinese leader during the country’s economic boom, and Mulayam Singh Yadav (82), an Indian socialist leader and former Defense Minister, passed away in 2022.

The loss of notable actors and directors was lamented throughout the film industry. Sidney Poitier (94), the first black actor to win the Best Actor Oscar, passed away on January 6 after giving outstanding performances in films including “Lilies of the Field,” “To Sir, with Love,” and “In the Heat of the Night.” On January 19, Hardy Kruger (93), an actor known for his work in films like “A Bridge Too Far” and “Hatari,” said his final goodbyes. William Hurt (71), who was well-known for his various acting abilities, died on March 13, while the distinguished Italian actress Monica Vitti (90) passed away on February 2.

The year also witnessed the departure of notable figures from the music industry. Michael Lee Aday, popularly known as Meat Loaf (74), left us on January 20. Vangelis (79), the Greek composer acclaimed for his iconic score for “Chariots of Fire,” passed away on May 17. Judith Durham (79), the vocalist of Australian band “The Seekers,” known for their hit song “The Carnival is Over,” bid farewell on August 5. Dame Olivia Newton-John (73), renowned for her role in the musical “Grease,” passed away on August 8.

In the literary world, the loss was felt with the departure of authors such as ‘Jack Higgins’ (92), Javier Marias (70), and Dame Hilary Mantel (70). Harry Patterson, better known by his pen name ‘Jack Higgins,’ was famous for his World War II thrillers, including “The Eagle Has Landed.” Spanish author Javier Marias and English author Dame Hilary Mantel, known for her captivating works bringing the era of King Henry VIII to life in novels like “Wolf Hall,” also bid farewell.

The year 2022 marked the passing of distinguished individuals in fields beyond entertainment and literature. James Lovelock (103), the English scientist and environmentalist renowned for his ‘Gaia’ hypothesis, which viewed the Earth as a self-regulating organism, passed away on July 26. J.S. Grewal (95), a historian celebrated for his contributions to Sikh history, left us on August 11. Saul Kripke (81), an American philosopher and logician, departed on September 15, leaving behind a profound intellectual legacy.

Tragically, the world of sports experienced unexpected losses. Shane Warne (52), the Australian spin wizard, left a void in the cricketing realm on March 4. On the same day, Rodney Marsh (74), a celebrated wicketkeeper and part of Australia’s formidable team in the 1970s, also passed away. Andrew Symonds (46), a former Australian all-rounder, met with a tragic end in a car accident on May 14. Yury Zaitsev (71), the heavyweight Soviet weightlifter who secured a gold medal in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, departed on September 30. The year concluded with the loss of Brazilian football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento ‘Pele’ (82), an iconic figure whose impact extended far beyond the sport itself.

India mourned the loss of several esteemed hockey players, including Jaswant Singh (90), Charanjit Singh (90), Varinder Singh (75), and Elvera Britto (81), who made significant contributions to the sport and represented the nation with pride.

Other remarkable individuals who left us in 2022 include Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia (retd) (85), a soldier and avid mountaineer who scaled Mount Everest as part of the first Indian expedition in 1965, on January 14. Praveen Kumar Sobti (74), an Asian and Commonwealth Games medal-winning discus thrower who ventured into Bollywood and television, bid farewell on February 7. Rahul Bajaj (83), a renowned Indian industrialist, passed away on February 12. Mahendra Raj (98), an accomplished engineer and architect who contributed to the design of iconic structures, including the Hall of Nations in Delhi and the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, breathed his last on May 8.

Though these individuals have left us, their contributions and legacies continue to inspire and influence future generations. We pay tribute to their remarkable lives and the indelible impact they made on the world.