Tribute by

Dr. Pankaj Gupta

Deen Dayal Upadhyay College

University of Delhi

It is very hard to believe that Puri sir is no more - physically. I still have in memory his picture of that fateful evening when we were walking together towards the seminar hall, management science at IISc campus. My association with Professor Puri started when we went together to Annual Convention of ORSI at Jamsedhpur in 1997. Since then we traveled every year to different parts of the country to attend ORSI conventions. The association which started on a professional note soon transformed into a very deep professional as well as personal bonding.

When I was selected “Country Representative” for participation in the annual ORSJ conference at Japan in 2000, Puri sir helped and guided me at every stage of  my preparation. I still remember that morning at Tirupati in 1999 when Puri sir asked me whether he should take the responsibility of hosting one of the biggest event of his career “APORS 2003”. He had so much faith in himself and his colleagues. The mega success of “APORS 2003” showed how much commitment and dedication he had towards anything that he undertook in his life. There were many people around him to help,  but “APORS 2003” was entirely Professor Puri’s show of strength.

I have never been a student of Professor Puri and I also did not do any research with him yet I was so comfortable with him - primarily because of his very down-to-earth personality and his style of touching your heart in a very special way.

He had certain expectations from us, which I pray to god that we shall be able to fulfill. He had such a strong commitment towards Mathematical Programming Group (MPG),  Delhi that he  hardly missed any weekly seminar and was always there at 3.00 pm sharp. He would ask about all the members of MPG and in his unique style encourage all the young members.

In the last few years, I have been sharing with him almost everything that happened in my life -  to such a great extent that now I feel a great vacuum in my life which is very difficult to fill.

He has left us to live with the pleasant memories of the time we spent together. December 28, 2005 has changed life forever for many of us. The madness of terrorism has once again claimed an innocent life, leaving many others deeply injured. 

Dr. Pankaj Gupta

Deen Dayal Upadhyay College

University of Delhi

New Delhi