Posted on 07:18:51 31 Jul, 2013
Venkatesan Sundaresan
Professor, College of Biological Sciences
University of California-Davis
sundar@ucdavis.edu
Obaid Siddiqui was an extraordinary scientist and a great man, a towering figure in the Indian scientific landscape which he helped reshape, especially in the biological sciences. Brilliant, yet unassuming, gracious, artistic, decisive and straight forward, he led by example and inspired so many of my friends and colleagues. I had heard of him from Jim Watson when I was at Cold Spring Harbor, Jim mentioned Obaid as an exceptional scientist from the old phage group who had returned to India to try and make a difference. It was a great honour to get to know him through my periodic visits to India and through his son Imran. I remember well the last time I met Obaid, it was in November at NCBS, he looked a little frail but still as engaged and thoughtful as ever. He told me that he had more time to practice on his sarod now, and I expressed a wish to hear him play on my next visit. Alas, that wish will not come true, at least not in this world! This is a big loss to all of us who knew him, to India, and to the world. Rest in peace, Obaid, we will cherish your memory and your contributions which will live on for long after.
Venkatesan Sundaresan Professor, College of Biological Sciences University of California-Davis sundar@ucdavis.edu
Obaid Siddiqui was an extraordinary scientist and a great man, a towering figure in the Indian scientific landscape which he helped reshape, especially in the biological sciences. Brilliant, yet unassuming, gracious, artistic, decisive and straight forward, he led by example and inspired so many of my friends and colleagues. I had heard of him from Jim Watson when I was at Cold Spring Harbor, Jim mentioned Obaid as an exceptional scientist from the old phage group who had returned to India to try and make a difference. It was a great honour to get to know him through my periodic visits to India and through his son Imran. I remember well the last time I met Obaid, it was in November at NCBS, he looked a little frail but still as engaged and thoughtful as ever. He told me that he had more time to practice on his sarod now, and I expressed a wish to hear him play on my next visit. Alas, that wish will not come true, at least not in this world! This is a big loss to all of us who knew him, to India, and to the world. Rest in peace, Obaid, we will cherish your memory and your contributions which will live on for long after.