Condolences on Shekhar's Tragic Demise

Ahmedabad ATCO's:
Brijendra Shekhar lived and died for his colleagues. What a sad day for all of us, when a courageous and brilliant officer's life should be undone by such a accident. Our heart goes out for the wife and children of Shekhar, and we promise all help, which they may require in the future. We are all stunned and saddened by his sudden demise, and further so that he could not live to see the day justice would have delivered to him. We condole all his near and dear ones, and pray to God that may his soul rest in peace. It is sad day in the life all ATCO's, and we will remember the man who served the cause of his colleagues so selflessly. Shekhar, you are a bright, shining star who has won the awe and admiration of all of us like none before.

ATC GUILD TRIVANDRUM:
WE DEEPLY CONDOLE THE TRAGIC AND UNTIMELY DEATH OF MR. BRIJENDRA SHEKHAR ,SECRETARY ATCGUILD. HE NOT ONLY TO ATC FRATERNITY BUT TO THE WHOLE AAI COMMUNITY WAS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION, COURAGE AND DIGNITY. THE VOID HIS PASSING AWAY HAS CREATED IS TOO LARGE. HIS TOUGH COURAGE, SMILE, BOLD STAND ON ISSUES TO PROTECT US STILL LINGER IN OUR MEMORIES. GOOD BYE SHEKHAR.

R. SADANAND:
We were shocked when we heard the untimely demise of General Secretary, Shri Brijendra Shekhar. We sadly convey our heartfelt condolences to his family members.

Ranjith and Indrani Perera:

Today I got the unbelievable sad news and I really got shocked. I do not think that Shekhar has done anything bad in his this life for a thing like this to happen to him. Still I can see the way he came to Sri Lankan Embassy to pick us up and again to drop us back. Even my wife too could not believe when I told her since we were together just a couple of months back. Any how life is that for all of us. All we can do now is to pray for him. I know very well that you could never find a secretary of that calibre for your Guild. So I just can imagine the feeling of all ATCO's in India and also in the aviation community in India. Also I know for sure it is a great loss to our Association in Sri Lanka because of the his knowledge, abilities and capabilities, specially the way he presents things. I was told that our association has taken a decision to offer some support/help to his family. So as a favour Joy please let me know the way that I too could personally help by any means to his family members. Please. I do not know when and how this incident had happened. Please let me have little detail when you are free. Please accept our Heart felt Deepest Sympathies.


Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India) / Southern Region:
Our Condolence on the sudden & untimely demise of our beloved Leader. Lord always picks the sweetest smelling flower the earliest. Untimely demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, the ATC Guild (India) has lost its shining star. After toiling untiringly and selflessly for the just cause of the Air Traffic Controller fraternity, he has suddenly left all of us in vacuum, his colleagues in the ATC Guild in an abyss of grief and darkness. Our hearts go out to the bereaved family and we would like to assure them that we unite with them in thought and deed in this moment of profound grief. We shall strive for his immortality by keeping his ideals alive.

Krishnan, Ex-GS, ATC Guild (I):
Dear President and members of the Guild:
I am shocked to know about the untimely death of our friend Mr. Shekhar in a gruesome road accident. A gentleman who had not made anything for himself and who had been breathing only for the sake of his colleagues does not deserve to meet such untimely death. I have no words to express at this moment except to convey my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and to the members of the ATC community. I can only pray to the Almighty to give enough strength and courage to the family of dear Shekhar.

Basab Kanti Das:
I deeply mourn the untimely tragic demise of our beloved leader. His unfinished works and vision will definitely see the new light in the days to come because those are eternal truth. Its true that he has lived and died for the cause of ATC Guild. ATC Guild (India) will always remember his contribution towards its profession. We also promise to extend our whole hearted support for his bereaved family members. May his soul rest in peace.

Sylvester Israel, DGM (ATC), Chennai :

It was on 15th March, midday, but suddenly darkness loomed large for the ATCOs. They stumbled, stammered and were groping for words; their voices were choking; for a brief moment the aircraft were seen frozen on the radar screen and the ATCOs lost their orientation .The shepherd was struck and the sheep remained scattered. We felt like birds suddenly clipped off their wings. Let us pay homage to the bravest, unrelenting, selfless, and persevering fighter, who remained a fighter till the last moment. When we were the less known clan of the public sector units, we remained in darkrooms and our voices were heard only in the cock-pit for decades, there arose a man from the crowd whose voice reached beyond the cock-pit to reach the travelling public. His contribution to the aviation industry and in particular to the ATC community was immeasurable. He was like a beacon guiding us to our goals. but paid a very high price. When he faced the storm, we took all efforts to keep this lamp glowing but alas we suddenly realised that there was no wax to hold the wick and it melted away fighting against the storm. Now we are stranded rudderless, puzzled and shocked. Though his demise created a big vacuum, he has left us many noble ideals to be followed. We ATCOs take a pledge in memory of this great soul to follow his footsteps closely. We once again pay our sincere, deep heartfelt homage to this honest and noble hero and condolence to his family members. May the lord give us and his family the strength to bear this great loss. Let the Lord Almighty be the light and refuge to his family and to all of us. May his soul rest in peace.


v h subramanian, am (atc), Belgaum:
heart felt condolences to the family of Sri Shekhar

Rajib Sarma:
My heartfelt condolence to all his family members. May God give them strength to bear this untimely loss. Let us all ATCO's strive unitedly to keep his ideals alive.

sandip mukherjee:
i just can not believe that you are not there. it is an irreparable loss to the whole community of ATCO. condolence is no meaning to the bereaved family. still i pray to GOD to give enough strength to face the reality.

Achinta & Poonam Dutta, along with all ATCOs at Nagpur.:
It was just a few years ago at varanasi that we met him for the first time. WE still have the pleasant remembrances. Pity the great soul is no more. We condole the death of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, May the almighty now give the strength to face the world to all his near and dear ones. We pray to God that may his soul rest in peace. There will be no greater vacuum in the Guild without you.

Chandrashekar P V// Secretary General All India Federation of Foreign Airlines Employees' Unions:
The sad demise of Mr Brijendra Shekhar has brought a Vacuum in the fight for Justice. I, in the recent past had the opportunity to meet and hear Mr B Shekhar speaking on the solidarity and the responsibility of leaders. I on behalf of the Federation of Foreign Airlines Employees' Unions convey deep condolences to the bereaved family.

Claude FOURNIER - French ATCA.:
A sad day for all of us, friends, colleagues and family. French Air Traffic Controller's Association would like to transmit to Indian colleagues and family of Mr Brijendra Shekhar our sincere deepest sympathy. Shekhar will continue to live in our memories for ever.

Alok Varshney, Sr Manager (Terminal), Goa Airport:
Un-believable, shocking. I really cant believe that our beloved Shekhar is not with us. He is one of those souls who land only for the welfare of others and do it silently. I pray to God for him.

S M Riazuddin Ahamed:
Dear ATCO's: My heartfelt condolences to his family on the sudden and unfortunate death of your beloved selfless leader in a tragic accident. I do hope and wish that the management at least now releases his dues to his family members . I do hope that the guild is taken through the path laid by our departed leader . may his soul rest in peace.

T R S MURTHY, SM (ATC), BELGAUM:
HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF SRI SHEKHAR

V. KRISHNAN, Ex- GS, ATC GUILD:


BRIJENDRA SHEKHAR -- A TRIBUTE:
In the passing away of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, it is not only the AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ‘ GUILD but also the entire ATC community in INDIA and in SRI LANKA, the INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS' ASSOCIATION and other ATCOs’ Associations, lost a devoted professional. A person who is a General Secretary or a President of a Guild or Association of Employees is generally considered as interested only in the rights and not in his profession. But the ATC Guild (I) had the fortune of having a General Secretary, Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, who was a professional ATCO to the core in addition to looking into the service needs of his members. It will not be an exaggeration, if it is pointed out that he had been giving his proposals to the authorities concerned for meeting the increasing demands of airspace management. He was one of those keen on expediting the modernisation of the ATS systems at Delhi and Mumbai. Of course, he was insisting on the system being foolproof before implementation. Mr. Shekhar actively participated in Committees / Courts of Enquiries which went into the causes incidents like the “arms dropping case at Purulia”, Mid air collision case chaired by Hon’ble Justice Lahoti etc. His contributions to the Lahoti Commission were recognised by Hon’ble Court itself. In addition, he presented papers on professional matters at various seminars. At the VII Convention of the ATC Guild at Kolkata, the then Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation remarked that the motto, YOGAKSHEMAM VAHAMYAHAM, adopted by LIC should rightfully belong to the ATC Guild. Perhaps, Mr. Shekhar who was the GS took the clue to strive hard for the Yogakshema of his members who had been eagerly waiting for implementation of the accepted recommendations by the Government/AAI. This action of his, not being taken in the correct spirit, ended up in untold miseries to himself and some of his colleagues. In spite of facing such traumatic situations he carried on as a loyal soldier. He had never thought about his own or his family’s welfare. He has sacrificed himself for his organisation. B(right) R(ighteous) I(ntelligent) J(ocund) E(ternally) N(ever) D(enying) RA(tional) S(acrificed) H(imself) E(nterprising) K(eeping) H(is personal interest) A(t) R(est) This was Mr. BRIJENDRA SHEKHAR. It will be a tribute and an expression of gratification if the members of the ATC Guild dedicate themselves for the betterment of the profession by extending unstinted support and cooperation to the AAI/ Government in their chalked out CNS/ATM programmes and it is sure that the authorities will also adopt a congenial working atmosphere and have mutual trust and have a review to boost the morale of the ATCOs.


a.venkateswara rao:
as i know shekhar is a true champion of principles. my heartfelt condolences to the family.

Secretary, ATC Guild, Cochin:
We, the ATC Guild members at Cochin International Airport express our deep condolences on the sad and untimely demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, ATC Guild (India).

A G Sekhar, Local Secretary, ATCG, Bangalore:
Bangalore branch of ATC Guild deeply mourns the sad demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, ATC Guild (India) in a car accident. We express our deep condolences to the bereaved family for this unrepairable loss.

Family of Late Shri Wesley Mohan Roy, Sr. Manager (ATC):
Our deepest condolences

Rohan Manukulasooriya, President/SLATCA:
All Sri Lankan Air Traffic Controllers are shocked and deeply grieved on hearing the sudden demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar - the All India Secretary of ATC Guild of India - under tragic circumstances.
Mr. Shekhar was not only the live-wire of most of the activities of your Guild, but also a Role-Model of Inspiration to us in your close neighbourhood here in Sri Lanka. He has created a void that would take quite a long time to fill-up.
Please accept our deepest sympathies and convey same to his wife and three children during this hour of grief, mourning the bereavement of their dearest.
In appreciation of all the pains and sacrifices borne by Mr. Shekhar for the cause of Air Traffic Control until the time of his untimely death, Air Traffic Controllers' Association of Sri Lanka has decided to contribute a sum of Sri Lankan Rupees Ten Thousand ( SL Rs. 10,000/-) as our immediate contribution towards a Fund that may already exist or be opened by you in due course, in order to look after/assist the future and welfare of the family that Mr. Shekhar loved so much but compelled to leave rather prematurely, and/or for any other project in his memory.

K. Murali, Ex-Regional Secretary, Southern Region, ATCG(I):
In this hour of deep sorrow and heart filled mourning, I would like to share my brief association with Brijendra Shekhar Shukla, our beloved leader who stood tall in my assessment when I look upon his deeds and acts. I vividly remember my first meeting with the great man, when I was an ordinary vociferous member shouting to stress my point in a meeting at Chennai. His reply was so nonchalant and crisp gave me enough evidence that the ATC Guild as an organization is under a very great leader. I may talk about the man I would like to see him in three spheres - as An Individual, The Leader and a Visionary. As an Individual he was so kind, considerate and helpful even to his staunch enemy, the factor I witnessed whenever I happened to discuss with him about the guild organizational hiccups within the organization. His personality as a leader is unique in the sense he kept his head always under the Damocles sword of dismissal during the agitation for the cause of the organizational benefit foregoing every opportunity then available to him during our industrial actions. His bargaining power is so commanding that it paved the way for various benefits to all of us and it would not be out of place, if I may say that he has enhanced the bargaining capacity of all the associations and unions in the AAI. Shri Shekhar the visionary in Air Traffic Services and its future in our country is a fact which has been acknowledged by none other than Justice Lahoti, Honourable Judge of Delhi High Court who inquired the first Mid-air collision in the history of Civil Aviation industry involving commercial aircrafts. Though I had associated with him for a very short period, His commitment and unquestionable Integrity to the organization has given enough picture of the great-departed soul. In this hour of sadness I can pray to Almighty to give us enough strength and courage to carry forward his long desired vision and join the grief of his sudden untimely demise with his family members. May his soul Rest in peace

D. S. Raghavan, Ex-President, Southern Region, ATCG(I):
This is the period of great grief and sorrow to all of us. We have lost our beloved General Secretary in the cruelest way. He was a living example for all of us. Be it in terms of honesty, truthfulness, sincerity, boldness and more than anything else in his never say die attitude. He was the one who cannot be influenced either by money power or bureaucratic power. I was fortunate to work with him intimately during my tenure as Regional President. To quote an incident on how honest and sincere he was in whatever he did, I would like to state the following: The general tendency of any individual is to come out successfully in any exam or training irrespective of one’s actual performance. But Shekhar during his radar training at CATC, though he was a brilliant controller, on the day of exam his performance was just average. He went to the CIA and requested not to pass him and wanted to re-do the exam and come out in flying colors. This shows the real character of the individual, a perfectionist to the core. He never compromised on the self esteem and professional pride of ATCOs. He was a leader who led by example. There were many leaders in Guild earlier and there will be many more in future, but Shri Brijendra Shekhar Shukla will be the unparalleled and indisputable leader of leaders for the ATC Guild. I take this opportunity in sharing the grief of his family and our colleagues and request all our ATCOs to take a vow that we would strive till the end in the path shown by our beloved leader. Long live Brijendra Shekhar's name and fame.

M.S.Ananthakrishnan, GM (ATM):
I received the tragic news of sudden demise of Brijendra Shekhar in a road accident, with shock. He was a man totally dedicated to the task he has undertaken, selfless, sincere and committed. ATC Community can never forget the service he had rendered, for the upliftment of ATCOs, risking his own career. I join all the ATCOs in expressing my heartfelt Condolence to bereaved family.

CAPT. SANJAY KAPUR, Regional Secretary, ICPA:
We were very sorry to hear the sudden tragic demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary (Air-Traffic Controllers’ Guild). We would request you to kindly convey our condolence on behalf of ICPA Southern Region to the family members of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar. May God give them strength at the hour of sorrow.
Management and staff Srilankan Airlines, Chennai Airport.:
Our deepest condolence on the sad and untimely demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar. Our condolences may be passed on to the bereaved family

Emirates, Madras Airport:
Our Heartfelt Condolence towards the sudden demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar. May his soul rest in peace.

Moly Joseph:
I express my deep hearted condolence on the sad demise of our beloved leader.

Federation of Indian Pilots:
The FIP deeply regrets the untimely demise of a man of such stature. He was dynamic in his leadership and a good friend to all who knew him personally. May the almighty help his family to bear this irreplaceable loss.

schota:
i have no words. i have not been able to accept the cruelty of death which came so untimely upon by friend Shekhar. May god rest Shekhar's soul in peace. May the almighty give strength and his choicest blessings to Shekhars family.

Rana Ajit, Principal Correspondent, The Pioneer, New Delhi.:
It's over ten days since Shekhar left us, but it's hard to believe that he is not there in his ATC guild office at Sarojani Nagar in New Delhi, where he would welcome me with his broad and generous smile and laughter and offer us innumerable cups of tea and coffee, while educating us, the reporters of various newspapers on the nitty-gritty and technical details of various navigational and communication aspect of the aviation world during crisis like air crash or hijacking etc. We the reporters, would often call him up after air disasters and get to know from him what could have been behind the mishap. And the next day we would boast of exclusive by-line stories in our respective newspapers, telling the world what could have went wrong in a particular incident or how it could have been averted. By educating reporters on various abstract technicalities of aviation world, Shekhar also helped common citizens of the country in enhancing their awareness about air travel and aviation industry. It's indeed hard to imaging for me that Shekhar is no more. And what a pity, that Shekhar, an Air Traffic Controller par excellence, who ensured safe air travel for lakhs of people, leaving or landing at Delhi's IGIA airport, fell victim to a bloody road accident. May God give peace to his soul and his bereaved family the courage to bear the loss. I would miss you Shekhar all through my life.

Ted Lang President, Civil Air, Australia:
Civil Air, the Australian Air Traffic Control Association was greatly saddened to hear of the tragic demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India), in a road accident on 15th March 2003. All controllers in Australia offer our heartfelt sympathy to his wife Archana, daughter Abhya, and his sons Akshay and Digansh. He will be sadly missed. Ted Lang President Civil Air

Kishu Teckchandani, Chairman, Cement Corporation of India Ltd.:
I learn with grief about the sad and untimely demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India) in a road accident on 15th March, 2003. I have known Shri Brijendra Shekhar for many years during my tenure with National Airports Authority of India, I must say that he was a very decent person and it is unfortunate that Almighty has snatched him away from amongst us. Kindly convey my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and all the members of the Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India).

AVM (Retd) & Mrs. GK Kwatra:

We are deeply shocked to learn about tragic demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar in a road accident on 15 Mar 2003. Mr. Brijendra Shekhar was a dynamic person with forthright professionalism. With his cheerful disposition he instilled tremendous enthusiasm all around him in every sphere. It is a great loss to the aviation fraternity. With profound grief we convey our heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family and dear and near ones. AVM (Retd.) & Mrs. GK Kwatra
V D V Prasad Rao, Member (Finance), Airports Authority of India:
Dear Smt. Shukla, I am shocked to learn about the sad and untimely demise of your beloved husband, Shri Brijendra Shekhar, in a tragic road accident on the 15th March, 2003. I, along with my wife, would like to convey our heartfelt condolences to you and all the members of your family on this bereavement. We pray to the God - the Almighty to give you and all the members of your family the strength to bear this irreparable loss. We also pray to the God - the Almighty that the departed soul may rest in peace in Heaven.

Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (I), Bhopal Branch:


Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (I) Bhopal Branch condoles the sad and untimely demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary and prays to the Almighty to bestow courage to family members to bear the irreplaceable loss

S K Chatterjee, General Secretary, Aeronautical Communication Officers Association (India):
It was with a great sense of shock and disbelief, we learned the sad demise of Sh. Brijendra Shekhar in a road accident on 15.03.2003. A young man of great courage and conviction, Shri Brijendra Shekhar was always prepared to pay any price for the values he cherished. He will be always remembered by his friends and admirers for his honesty and integrity and selfless devotion for the cause of ATCO's. In this hour of grief, I on behalf of my association and on my own behalf, convey my heartfelt condolences to all members of ATC Guild and also his bereaved family for this irreparable loss. May almighty give enough strength to his family and friends of ATC Guild to bear this loss. I would like to take this opportunity to convey to you that our association will stand side by side with you in rendering any assistance to the bereaved family of late Sh. Brijendra Shekhar.

M K Ghoshal, General Secretary, Airports Authority Employees' Union:
I am shocked at lose to express any words to mighty the sudden demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar GS ATC Guild (India) in a tragic road accident on 15.3.2003. On behalf of AAEU along with all members, I express my heartfelt and sincere grief, which may also be conveyed to the bereaved family of Shri Shekhar. We will look forward for any kind of service towards the grieved family of Shri Shekhar. May God give strength to his family to bear the greatest loss.

Sujata & D. N. Pandey , Ipca Laboratories Limited, Mumbai:
We are terribly shocked to learn the news of demise of our dear friend Shekhar in a gruesome road accident. Shekhar lived his life for others and did not deserve this kind of premature end , so early in life. Is it that good people don't live long? He was a man of rare qualities , a great friend , a genius and a great leader. We have lost a precious jewel, seldom born. His absence will be felt for years to come. May his soul rest in peace and may God help the family recover from this irreparable loss. Our deepest condolences to the members of the bereaved family. We will always miss you Shekhar!

H. L. GANDHI, SR. MANAGER OPERATIONS:
I am shocked to know the sad demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar of ATC Guild who lost his life on 15th March, 2003 in an accident. He was able, intelligent and hardworking throughout out his life and always helpful to his colleagues. Please accept deep condolences from the Operations department, Air Sahara and requests that the same may please be conveyed to the bereaved members of the family.

CAPT. S. P. S. SANDHU, CHIEF OF OPERATIONS, AIR SAHARA:
I convey my heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar in an unfortunate road accident and prays to God Almighty that his soul may rest in peace.

Dr. L. M. SINGHVI, MP, RAJYA SABHA:
I was distressed to learn the untimely sad demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, Air Traffic Controller's Guild (India). This brings my heartfelt shokanjali to his family members and Guild (India) staff. We pray for peace to the departed soul. Dr. L.M. Singhvi, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha.

CAPT. D V SINGH, CAPT. RON NAGAR , AND FLIGHT SAFETY DEPTT. INDIAN AIRLINES LTD. :
It is socking to learn the untimely demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar , General Secretary ATC Guild (India) in a tragic road accident on 15th march 2003 . The destiny has put an abrupt end to the young dynamic life. Our heart felt condolences to his family member. May his soul rest in peace and the almighty gives strength to the family member to bear this untimely loss.

Ramesh Balasubramanian:
Shekhar was a warm hearted and compassionate man with a great sense of humor who was very much liked and respected by all who knew him. I met him first when I was in AAI at Bombay in 1993 when he was an ATCO and aspiring to be our leader. I lost touch with him on leaving AAI, but for the occasional 'chat' sessions we had on the Internet. I will always remember Shekhar as a great human being, friend and colleague. The death of this great leader was a great loss to the Indian aviation community, in particular for the ATC Guild of India. Brijendra Shekhar Shukla and his devotion to his cause and to friends will be missed. I offer my most sincere condolences in this time of grief to his family, friends and colleagues around the country.

K. Murali:
Oh! dear Leader we have missed you physically, but your philosophy will lead us as ever in our further walks of life. General Secretaries may come, General Secretaries may go but You will always be there in spirit to guide us. May god bless your soul rest in peace and enough strength to your family to withstand the loss.

P. V. Muraleekrishnan, Manager (ATC), Chennai Airport.: May his soul rest in peace.

Principal, Green Fields School:
Dear Mrs. Shukla, We were extremely shocked to hear of the sad demise of your dear husband Mr. Brijendra Shekhar in an unfortunate car accident. May God give you the strength (you and your family) to bear the loss with fortitude and courage. May his soul rest in peace.

D M Arora Sr. Manager (ATC):
My heartfelt condolences to Shekhar's family. It is very difficult to believe that the cruel hands of destiny snatched away a great person, a friend. May God give enough strength to his wife and children to bear this loss.

Charles D'Souza, G. M. Flight Suppt. Scs, Jet Airways:
I have known Mr. Brijendra Shekhar from many years as a dedicated Air Traffic Controller. His integrity and dedication towards his profession was admirable. He bore the suffering for a cause which he held esteem and I pray that his soul may rest in peace. My heartful condolences to his family.

Ramakant Ghatol and all ATC Staff at Agartala Civil Aerodrome:
We all at Agartala deeply condole the untimely demise of a peerless dedicated an foresighted leader. May his soul rest in peace.

LT. CDR. GPS BAJWA AND ATCO OF AIRCRAFT CARRIER [INS VIRAAT]:
WE ARE DEEPLY MOURNED AND PRAY THAT MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACE. OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FAMILY MEMBERS.

Ajith Wickramarachchi:
"Victory over things is the office of man. Each man is a new power in nature. He holds the keys of the world in his hands- R. W. Emerson" Shekhar held the keys to our ATC world. We can honour him only by continuing the struggle he was leading. I pray that India will be able to find somebody who could complete the unfinished goals. I still see in my memory the fearless but yet very humble guy who had been a pride to the entire region. Shekhar, we miss you.

Asha Ram, General Manager (ATM), NR, Airports Authority of India:
On behalf of my family members and myself I express my deep sorrow and condolences on the sad and untimely demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar and pray the almighty to bless strength and succour to the bereaved family to withstand the irreparable loss.

R C Kanda, Secretary General, Aero Club of India:
A long association with a confident and dedicated ATCO has suddenly come to an end bringing a tragic loss to the cadre. President, myself and all members of Aero Club of India (ACI) are grieved to learn about the tragic demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India). Mr. Shekhar was a competent ATCO, dedicated to the profession and had many memorable achievements to his credit as General Secretary of ATC Guild. It is a great loss to his wife and children. I pray to God for eternal peace to the departed soul and to bestow enough courage to the bereaved family, to bear this irreparable loss.

Amar Singh, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha):
It is with sadness that I read your letter dated March 20th, 2003 informing me about the untimely demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar in a car accident. Please accept my deepest condolences and sympathy on this extremely unfortunate event. I pray that God gives his family, friends and colleagues strength to bear this loss with courage and fortitude.



Ranjan Chatterjee, Executive Director, India Trade Promotion Organisation:
I am shocked to hear the untimely demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary of the Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India). I pray to Almighty God so that his family has the courage to bear with this untimely loss.

Bimal Julka, Commissioner, Gwalior:
I am deeply shocked at the sudden and tragic demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India) on 15th March 2003. Needless to say that Mr. Brijendra Shekhar was an excellent officer of the Airports Authority of India and I do recall some pleasant moments of interacting with him during my tenure as Director Civil Aviation. I have in fact no words to convey my heart felt condolences to his family except I pray almighty to give peace to the departed soul. Should you require any help for the rehabilitation of his family, I shall be most willing to extend the same.

R P S Garcha Air Commodore (Retd.), Adviser (Ops.)/Chief Pilot, Airports Authority of India:
On behalf of all the members of the Flight Inspection Unit, I wish to convey our heartfelt condolences on the tragic and untimely demise of young Brijendra Shekhar. We join you in praying to almighty God to give strength to his family to bear the irreparable loss.
May his soul rest in peace.

Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Former Additional Solicitor General; Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India:
Dr. A M Singhvi & Mrs. Anita Singhvi send their heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar. They join all members of the family in praying for peace and tranquility for the departed soul and for courage and fortitude to all members of the family.

C S Vaidyanathan, Senior Advocate
I regret to learn the sad demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India) in a road accident on 15th March, 2003. Please convey my heartfelt condolences to the members of his family. I pray to the Almighty to give you and all members of the family enough strength and courage to bear this loss and give peace to the departed soul.

Ashwini Kumar, Former Member of Parliament:
(TRANSLATED FROM HINDI)
Dear Mrs. Shekhar, Received the sad news about your husband's demise. His death in a road accident at such a young age is very tragic. In this hour of grief, my heartfelt sympathies are with you and your family. I pray God to give peace to the departed soul and provide strength to you along with your children to overcome this difficult period. I am with you in sharing this grief

Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Member of Parliament; President, All India Council of Sports:
I am sorry to learn about the sad demise of Sh. Brijendra Shekhar, Gen. Secy. ATC Guild (India) in a tragic road accident on March 15th, 2003. Please convey my heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family members and ATC Guild. I pray the Almighty to give peace to the departed soul and give courage to the family members to bear this irreparable loss.

B S Ramoowalia, Member of Parliament:
Upon my return to Delhi late last night, I was much shocked and grieved to know about the passing away of Shri Brijendra Shekhar Jee, and I convey you and the Guild my heartfelt condolences. I have personally known Shri Shekhar and during my interactions with him, I found this young man dynamic, endowed with many endearing traits; therefore, I am particularly sad and pained at his premature demise. He was a precious asset to the ATC fraternity and the Guild. Please do convey my feelings of deep sorrow to Mrs. Shekhar and other members of the bereaved family. In grief, B S Ramoowalia

S K Narula, Airports Authority of India:
(TRANSLATED FROM HINDI)
This untimely demise is extremely saddening.

Robey Lal:
With my deepest condolences, in grief.

C M Gairola:
We have lost a true dedicated trade unionists, I have ever come across.

G R Bains:
Tragic end of a Great Hero
H S Chawla:
May God give strength to the family and friends to bear this irreparable loss.

R C Khurana:
He was selfless worker totally dedicated to the cause of ATCOs. May God give peace to departed soul and strength to family to bear this irreparable loss.


A N Khera, AAI CHQ:
(TRANSLATED FROM HINDI)
A soul dedicated to others has amalgamated into the eternal. While expressing grief on Shri Brijendra Shekhar's sudden demise, I pray to God for peace to the departed soul and courage to the family.


Capt. Ron Nagar:
Shri Brijendra was a great personality. My association with him has always been meaningful. He has been keen and very good professional. It is a great loss to us all.

Mukesh, Indian Airlines - Flt. Safety:
Mr. Shekhar was a true professional and a nice human being and a good friend.
Capt. K P S Nair, AAI (Rtd. GM):
A selfless leader who sacrificed for the betterment of ATC community.

K Ramalingam, AAI:
A good professional, true leader and devoted person who sacrificed for the betterment of ATC personnel of AAI.

Mrs. Narinderjit, Class Teacher of Abhidha Shukla, Green Fields School:
Indeed a very big loss. My heartfelt condolences for the family.

Mrs. A Nagarajan, Class Teacher of Alaksheyendra Shukla, Green Fields School:
Heartfelt sympathies with the family. May God give them courage.

Ramesh Kumar:
Mr. Shekhar was a force for others to work for the cause of dignity.

Hardip Singh, KLM:
Mr. Shekhar was a unique personality.

Amitabha Roychowdhary, Press Trust of India:
I will miss a dear friend and a very good news source, the aviation world will miss a professional ATCO who led his colleagues to face successfully newer challenges in their lives.

Pranab Dhal Samanta, Indian Express:
What can one write about a lost friend who was a model of inspiration for all who came in his contact. All I hope is that those whom he lived for shall carry forward his principles and far sight. Shekhar would have wanted that!

P H Singh: May God rest his soul in peace and the family strength.


Vivek Anand:
It's a personal loss to me. I pray God give his soul peace and give his family courage to bear the loss.

Vikas Bhalla, Asstt. GM, IGI Airport:
A great loss to all of us who had the privilege to be associated with him. A man driven selflessly by the commitment and conviction of his ideals and principles.

Rajiv Kumar, Software professional, UK:
Shekhar's tragic demise is the greatest shock of my life. Though I am not an ATCO, but whenever I am in Delhi, I visited the Guild office to meet him. He would advise me on the right track of life. I pray for his soul to rest in peace.

P K Chadha, Gen. Secy., AAI (IAD) Officers' Association:
May God rest his soul in peace and give strength to the family members.

Sudhir Kumar Singh, SM (ATC):
When I met with an accident and was going into the operation theatre, Sir was by my side. When I came out after 4 hours, he was waiting to be by my side. He met with an accident and I was driving 1½ hours behind him and I bypassed the traffic jam. Sad, I was not by his side !!

I N Murthy, DGM (ATC):
Shri Brijendra Shekhar has sacrificed his career, comforts and at last even his life to see that all his colleagues fare better in profession and career. Let's not forget him and let's not forget his family.

Malkeet Singh, Manager (ATC):
The void created by this unfortunate death will take years to fill up. His integrity, honesty, hard work and intelligence will remain in my memories for ever. May God bless his family with strength to bear the great loss. May his soul be in peace.

S K Verma, Comm Officer (Rtrd.), Ex-Gen. Secy. ACOA(I):
A man of great courage, commitment and selfless service; the name of Shri Brijendra Shekhar will be written in golden letters in the history of trade union movement of Airports Authority.

S Swaminathan, Trivandrum Airport:
The family has lost their head
The Guild members their leader
The Aviation fraternity a professional
The Trade Unionists an activist
The media a well informed intellectual
The management a great negotiator
The associates a warm host The world a noble soul
No one will know what I have lost
Not even me -
I continue to mourn
His memories continue to haunt me
His body has been consigned to flames
and the flames have reduced my soul.


M. V. Sunil:
The man who changed the outlook and the expression "Air Traffic Controller" is no more physically with us. He shall live in every ATCO's heart for the courage and character he had become known in the aviation circles. We miss you, but shall strive to live up to your expectations. Let God rest his soul in peace.

Inder Sharma, Chairman, Select Hotels:
Dear Mr. Singh, I am in receipt of your letter dated 20th March and am sad to learn about the tragic demise of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary of ATCG in a road accident. On this tragic death of your worthy colleague, Mr. Shekhar, please accept my heartfelt condolences. He was a true gentleman who selflessly served the cause of Indian Civil Aviation. May God bless his soul and rest him in peace. Kindly convey my sentiments to his bereaved family and I pray to God to give them strength to bear this irrecoverable loss. In grief with you and the family.

Uttam Kumar Bose, CEO, Sahara Airlines Ltd.:
It was indeed a a shock and a moment of grief upon hearing the tragic demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar in a road accident on 15th March, 2003 which cannot be consoled in words. We all at Sahara Airlines join in with all the other members of his family to share this grief and pain. May God give everyone enough strength to bear this irreparable loss.

D K Kamra, President, Airports Authority of India Engineers Guild:
We all engineers of AAI are deeply hurt and concerned with the sudden demise of Sh. Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, Air Traffic Controllers' Guild. We all are with you on this sad moment of Great Sorrow.

k v s s hanumantha rao:
may his soul rest in peace

Sandeep Mukerjee:
A true sincere dedicated leader, sincerity and honesty was his religion, his loss is a severe blow to all the ATCOs in India. Mohamed Ansari Rahman, President, ATCA (Singapore):
It was with great sadness that I learn of the tragic passing of Mr. Brijendra Shekhar, GS of ATC Guild (India). On behalf of the members of the Air Traffic Controllers Association (Singapore), I offer our deepest and sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Shekhar, his wife Mdm Archana, sons Akshay and Digansh and daughter Abhya. We share the great loss of the ATC Guild (India) of their illustrious and young leader. May his legacy live on in the Guild for always.

Air Marshal Satish K Jain, AVSM VM, Senior Air Staff Officer, HQ Training Command, Indian Air Force:
I have learnt with deep regret the sudden and untimely demise of Mr Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, Air Traffic Controllers' Guild (India) on 15 Mar 03. I had got to know Shri Shekhar so well in our interactions. He was a pleasant and likeable person who was equally devoted to his profession and job. My heartfelt condolences to his family and also to the family of Air Traffic Controllers' who, with his able leadership and guidance had benefited immensely over the years. May the almighty give us all the strength to bear this loss.

S K Garg:
May GOD keep his soul in peace.

AJAY. M. K., A.M. (ATC), MOHANBARI.:
MY GRAVEST CONDOLENCE FOR OUR GREAT LEADER

sebastian:
The leading light is no more

Sunil Arora, CMD, Indian Airlines Limited:
It was very sad to learn about the tragic demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, Air Traffic Controllers' Guild on 15th March, 2003 in the fatal car accident near Shahjahanpur. On behalf of Indian Airlines and as well as my own behalf, I would like to convey my heartfelt condolences. May God almighty give all courage to his family members to bear this irreparable loss and grant peace to the departed soul. Please do let me know if we in Indian Airlines could be of any service now or in future.

Ananth Kumar, Minister of Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation, Govt. of India:
I was deeply shocked to know about the demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary of Air Traffic Controllers Guild (India) in a tragic accident. Late Shri Shekhar was a dynamic person whose contribution to the Guild has been recognized by one and all. He was a wonderful human being whose loss is irreparable. Kindly convey my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. My wife Smt. Tejaswani Ananth Kumar joins me in praying the almighty to give enough strength to the family of the deceased to bear the irreparable loss. May his soul rest in peace.

Shripad Y Naik, Minister of State, Civil Aviation, Govt. of India:
It was sad to hear about the tragic and untimely demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, ATC Guild. I understand that due to his leadership qualities as well as cordial relations with one and all, that Shri Shekhar became extremely popular amongst his colleagues. Though, the loss caused is irreparable, yet no one can question the Supreme Power's verdict. I convey my heart-felt condolence to his family as well as the members of ATC Guild and pray to the Almighty to give courage and solace to the grief-stricken family members, in this hour of grief.

Dr. Nasim Zaidi, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India:

The untimely and sad demise of Shri Brijendra Shekhar, General Secretary, ATC Guild has shaken us all and I convey my heartfelt condolences to aggrieved members of his family and pray to the Almighty to give peace to the departed soul. May God give courage to the family and the colleagues to bear this irreparable loss.

O .S. EKKA:
OH SHEKHAR, YOU LEFT US SO EARLY. YOUR SUDDEN DEMISE LEFT US TOTALLY IN BLANK. TODAY WHILE SIGNING THIS CONDOLENCE BOOK I REMEMBER ALL THOSE DAYS WHICH I HAVE SPENT WITH YOU. IT BECOME A TREASURE IN MIND. TODAY I PRAY TO ALMIGHTY - MAY GOD KEEP YOUR SOUL IN PEACE.

usha ganesh:
a tragic end to a great soul. may his soul rest in peace. pray god to give strength to his family to pull on.

murali:
very sad news regarding this news. my heartly condolence to his all family members though it is a very big gap which could not fill by any thing and any one.

R S Santosh:
The news of untimely demise of Shekhar was a shock. It will take time to reckon with this reality. He helped us to realise ourselves. He taught us to dream. He also shown us an example of leadership. Let me bow myself in his memory.

Satya Pal Arora, ex ATCO:
I was shocked to see this news in 'atcguild.com'. My goodness, it is a tragic loss to ATC community in India.

Sanjay Jha, Former Aviation correspondent, AajTak News Channel :
I am deeply mourned to hear the tragic death of a person who navigated us in understanding air traffic in India. I am no longer doing the active reporting on Aviation and that's why came to know this incident very late. I will miss a dear friend and a very good news source. It just unbelievable that he would be not there (the Guild office) to entertain us with generous smile and laughter and offer us loads of stories lead along with numerous cups of tea and coffee. He was my great source during crisis like air crash or hijacking etc. It's indeed very difficult for me to believe that Shekhar is no more. May God give peace to his soul and his bereaved family the courage to bear the loss. I would miss you Shekhar all through my life.

Ashish Mohan Das SM (ATC) - Varanasi:
B. Shekhar was a man of commitment for the cadre of air traffic services. Though we will not be able to fill up the gap but will always remember the vision he had.

manpreet kaur:
the world is a drama and we are the characters playing our parts under the directorship of that superpowers above. we all have something to do , among them somebody's work is noticeable and somebody's not at all worth. we should feel pleasure that our work was worth noticeable.

yogendra gautam:
he was living with the ATC Guild, he is living with the ATC Guild and ATC Guild should live as he was.

Vinod K. Yadava, Airport Director, Ahmedabad:
In deed, it is an irreparable loss to the ATC fraternity. I had known Shekhar ever since he joined the NAA as Aerodrome officer at Bombay. We had long association in training, as colleague and a true companion in a fight for the justice. Shekhar had been known for his dedicated efforts and untiring services to the cadre. I have not been able to believe that he will not be meeting any more. May God bless the departed soul with peace and give courage and strength to the bereaved family members to withstand the unbearable loss.

Mervyn G Fernando:
Leaders are hard to find. Good leaders are a rarity. Please accept my condolences to the Guild and immediate family of Mr Shekhar. Mervyn Fernando, Chief Changi Tower, Singapore

s. k. purwar:
your memories keep us inspiring

sanjay tripathi:
man of great vision, whatever staff has gained is due to him only

Shankar Mardi:
your courage & dedication shall guide us in year to come.

Capt. D. Sonde:
I had the pleasure of knowing Mr. B. Shekhar during his tenure as an ATC officer at Daman airfield. He was a person who did not hesitate to stand up for what he believed was right, whatever the consequences. His quality of putting other before himself set him apart from the others. May God Rest his soul

KALYAN PRASAD , MANAGER (ATC), KOLKATA AIRPORT:
I express my heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of our beloved great leader.

J. P. ALEX:
SHEKHAR ........ YOUR THOUGHT, ACTION, DEEDS WILL ALWAYS GUIDE US. MAY THE BLESSINGS OF THE ALMIGHTY SHOWER UP ON YOUR DEAR ONES FOR EVER.

Vineet Gulati:
may the departed soul rest in peace, and give strength to his family

Jyoti Prasad ADDL. GM (ATM-S&P) IGIA :
I and my family express deep sorrow and heartfelt condolences on sadly and untimely demise of our beloved leader. May god rest his soul in peace and give strength to his family.

Yasir Arafat, Air Traffic Controller, CAA, Lahore, Pakistan:
"I would not say Mr. Shekhar is late. Because his efforts/ guidelines/ principles for the promotion of air traffic controllers of India are still alive". A lot of things are to say about Mr. Shekhar but I do not feel my self so competent to talk a lot about in his honor. The only thing I will say for Mr. Shekhar "He is the man who brought up the ATCO of India into the place where even sky is not a limit". I and all ATCOs of Pakistan appreciates his efforts and will try to get the same prestige and honor that Mr. Shekhar left for ATC in our region. May God keep his soul in peace.

Rajesh T:
May your soul rest in peace, God bless your family

R. R. Rao:
When the condolence book was opened after the tragedy, I was so dumb-struck and frozen by shock, that I could not write a single sentence on the subject. Three years down the line, the very name of our dear Shekhar inspires awe and admiration in our minds. I consider myself lucky that I had the chance to be associated with such a path-breaking visionary. It inspires courage and determination within us. We can, at best, aspire to be a pale shadow of what the great man used to be. The best tribute we can pay him today is to remain completely united as ATC professionals and help further the common cause of ATC. We will have difference of opinions, but that should not drive a wedge among us. So that the Shepherd rests in peace.

S. Suresh, Instructor CATC:
May the soul rest in peace.

s. swaminathan:
may your soul rest in peace

vinodkumar:
Shekhar is immortal, Make him alive thru' our selflessness, courage, sincerity and professionalism.