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India: Universities in Delhi lose leading teachers to Covid-19

New Delhi - The university also saw some younger staff members getting infected with the virus and succumbing to it.

Covid-19 has struck the world of academia in Delhi, resulting in the death of several leading personalities in Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia in recent days.

They include about 35 teachers in DU, five in Jamia Millia Islamia and two in JNU. Besides these, many other teachers from DU’s constituent colleges have also succumbed to Covid.

Vinay Gupta, the former dean of examinations at DU lost the battle against Covid-19, even as his father succumbed to it, according to a news report. Veena Kukreja, 65, head of the political science department, also passed away, though she was discharged from an ICU after her health improved.

“We do not know what happened that too all of a sudden,” Bipin Tewari, her colleague was quoted in the media.

Rakesh Gupta of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences was taken to Ludhiana after he failed to get admitted to a Delhi hospital, but passed away there.

The principal of Ram Lal Anand college, Rakesh Kumar Gupta, said Kusum Gupta, an associate professor of microbiology, passed away days after her parents died. “We also lost Devendra Kumar, an associate professor,” he added.

At Jamia university, Rizwan Qaiser, a professor of history and culture, could not find a hospital bed for many days. Finally, he was admitted to Jamia Hamdard, where he passed away.

The university also saw some younger staff members getting infected with the virus and succumbing to it. Nabila Sadiq, an assistant professor, died just days after the passing away of her mother. Her father is still battling Covid.

JNU saw the death of senior professor in the school of biotechnology, Deepak Gaur, a recipient of several awards. “He was internationally recognised in malaria and vaccination research and was always polite and courteous while interacting with colleagues,” said a spokesperson of the JNU Teachers’ Association.