H D Shourie, a good man who did good things, passes away

In his autobiography, Robert Moru, a famous surgeon, writes: it is well for every man to stop once in a while and think what sort of collect...

In his autobiography, Robert Moru, a famous surgeon, writes: it is well for every man to stop once in a while and think what sort of collection of mourners he would like to see gathered for his final event.

Yesterday, H D Shourie, pushing 93, had, as usual, a relatively full day planned. But Fate picked him up at nine this morning, leaving him no time to think of who he would like to see at his funeral: yet, at three in the afternoon, they were all there—from the members of his own loving family right to the President (in the form a beautiful wreath of condolence from Rashtrapati Bhawan).

His friends and admirers, many of them, were there—those who had heard of his passing. There would have been countless more who would have liked to pay their last respects, simply because H D Shourie was a good man and did good things.

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He had made it his mission in life to help people and to fight (yes, that is the word—fight) Noble Causes: upto the very end. Twenty-five years ago he founded COMMON CAUSE—‘‘an organisation for ventilating common problems of the people’’ (as the blurb on his letterhead always proclaimed).

And he was proud of COMMON CAUSE. In his letter to me of November 24, 2004, he wrote:

‘‘You might not remember but you were one of the Founder Members of COMMON CAUSE when it was established in 1980. I had to come to your office in Hauz Khas and got your signature for COMMON CAUSE.’’ He always used capital letters for his favourite brainchild!

In his old age, he did not conserve his seemingly boundless energy by looking after his health, but expended energy in countering injustices—by word of mouth, by letters, by petitions in Court, and upto the time he was ninety, by personal appearance before Judges.

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He had a fine manner with Judges—never rude, never impolite but yet firm and resolute, making his case point by point. Alas, we will not see the likes of him again, and I for one will sorely miss him. A great old oak has fallen— and the forest of public causes will never quite be the same.

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