On June 26, filmmaker Saurabh Narang died at the age of 37. He had been battling stomach cancer for sometime and was receiving treatment in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Saurabh was a graduate of MA Mass Communication (Batch of 1996) at the AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia. Saurabh was among the brightest students we have taught and one who was also a pleasure to work with. He was never arrogant or complacent and worked much harder than most. It is ironic (or perhaps fitting) that he should have passed away during the anniversary of the Emergency as that was the topic of his EFP (graduation documentary for video & TV Production). At the proposal defence he said that the genesis lay in a class discussion where most of his classmates seemed only faintly aware of the Emergency. He (along with two other students) decided to research and make the documentary as a small attempt to remedy the situation. The group ended up making a very strong documentary that can, even today, serve as an excellent primer on that terrible chapter of Indian history. During the discussions on the film, I was impressed by the detailed paperwork he came prepared with. He managed to pursue and interview a number of good speakers for the documentary including Shanti Bhushan, George Fernandez and Kuldeep Nayyar. On a lighter more humorous vein, he made an excellent studio based production on Edward Lear's limericks. The 10 min production was creatively conceived and professionally executed in one continuous take. I am sure those who were in the studio that day, remember how much fun it was.

After graduation, Saurabh worked in the Bombay Film Industry and directed the Sushmita Sen starrer Vaastu Shastra for Ram Gopal Verma (RGV). He authored several blog entries for Passion for Cinema. Some years back he came to the MCRC for a student reunion. He was extremely modest about his RGV debut and said, "This is my first film, give me some more time." By the time we had this conversation, he had already parted company with RGV 's factory and struck out on his own. He passed on while working on his next big film. Saurabh didn't need a huge body of work to be loved and respected by friends and professional colleagues. His talent and intelligence was evident to all those who knew him, even briefly, as was his innate sense of decency and integrity. Saurabh Narang will be profoundly missed but never forgotten.