Notable people who passed away in 2025

Death is often treated as a taboo topic — something to be feared, mourned, or avoided in conversation. For many, the fear stems from imagining the pain associated with dying. Yet when a prominent figure passes away, the collective reaction is different: it evokes nostalgia, a sense of personal loss, and genuine grief, especially among fans who closely connected with the individual’s work. Their sorrow is real and immediate. Meanwhile, the family of the departed must endure not only their private loss but also the scrutiny that comes from being in the public eye.

In today’s race to stay relevant online, social media users often rush to share unverified claims, especially about celebrity deaths. This was evident in the case of Bollywood legend Dharmendra. While he was recovering from a medical procedure, rumours about his demise spread rapidly on X, prompting his family to clarify the misinformation. However, on November 24, the beloved ‘He-Man’ of Hindi cinema passed away in Mumbai

Bangladesh’s ​first female prime ‌minister, ​Khaleda Zia, died on December 30, 2025. She won her first term in 1991 and served again from 2001. Her opponent in that election and several since was Hasina. The former Bangladeshi Prime Minister’s archrivalry with Sheikh Hasina defined the country’s politics for a generation.

Renowned Malayalam actor, scriptwriter and filmmaker Sreenivasan, who redefined Malayalam cinema through his unique acting and compelling stories, died in Kochi on December 20, 2025. Sreenivasan had acted in over 225 movies in a career spanning about five decades. Some of his notable screenplays include Sandesham, Azhakiya Ravanan, Varavelpu, Nadodikattu, and Thalayanamanthram to name a few.

Internationally acclaimed documentary and television filmmaker S. Krishnaswamy, who produced over 900 non-fiction films, including the famed Indus Valley to Indira Gandhi, passed away on December 28, 2025 in Chennai. He was 88.

Ram Vanji Sutar, one of India’s most prolific sculptors, passed away on December 18, 2025 at the age of 100 in Noida. Popularly called the ‘Statue Man’, he designed over 50 large-scale public works projects over a career spanning seven decades, including the world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity. Laced with dynamism and technical precision, his works were defined by hyper-realistic bronze and stone portraits of national icons, and his death marks the end of an era in Indian monumental sculpture.

Former Union Minister and Congress leader Shivraj PatilChakurkar passed away on December 12, 2025 in Maharashtra’s Latur district following a brief illness. Mr. Patil was 90 and had a political career of five decades, where he held several positions in the Central government, including Speaker of the Lok Sabha and several ministries.

The heartbeat of Hindi cinema’s golden era, who turned raw instinct into cinematic immortality, Dharmendrapassed away in Mumbai on November 24, 2025. Dharmendra played some of the most loved characters in Hindi cinema that have withstood the test of time. Over six decades and 300 films, his ability to deliver one clean hit per decade underscores his longevity. Between 1966 and 1975, he delivered a dozen consecutive hits.

A. Vellayan, chairman emeritus of Coromandel International and former chairman of Murugappa Group, passed away on November 17, 2025. A distinguished business leader and a valued member of the Murugappa family, Vellayan dedicated several decades to the Group, providing strategic direction across its diversified businesses. He had served on the boards of various companies in Murugappa Group, including as Chairman of Coromandel International Ltd. and EID Parry Ltd.

Gopichand P. Hinduja, chairman of globe-spanning Hinduja Group, died on November 4, 2025. Gopichand P. Hinduja had been a regular feature in the annual ‘Sunday Times Rich List’, with the Hinduja Group topping this year’s tally for the fourth consecutive year with an estimated fortune of GBP 35.3 billion.

Satish Shah, an effortless performer who made even a corpse a timeless monument of Indian cinema, bid adieu on October 25, 2025. Lifeline of many a sitcom, he was a household name.

Diane Keaton, the quirky U.S. actress who won an Academy Award and captured hearts with her endearing performance as Woody Allen’s eccentric, insecure girlfriend in the 1977 romantic comedy “Annie Hall,” died on October 11, 2025. Keaton, who appeared in more than 60 films, including “The Godfather” trilogy, “The First Wives Club” and eight films with Allen, stood out in Hollywood.

Dr. G.G. Parikh, a Gandhian, a freedom fighter, an upholder of democratic socialism, and a builder of labour movements passed away on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2, 2025. He was 101 years old. He was imprisoned during the Quit India Movement and during Emergency, he was a man who believed in democratic socialism, he spread socialist democratic values at the grassroot by involving youth.

Scientist and global activist Jane Goodall, who turned her childhood love of primates into a lifelong quest for protecting the environment, died on October 1, 2025. Much has been written about the universally loved Jane Goodall, primatologist and animal rights campaigner, on whom awards and honours far too numerous to list have been showered. Goodall, in the male-dominated field of conservation science, spent 60 years studying chimp behaviour mostly in Tanzania where she was called Mama Sokwe (chimpanzee).

Padma Vibhushan vocalist Pandit Chhannulal Mishra, a towering figure in Hindustani classical music, died on October 2, 2025. He was an exponent of the Banaras gharana and the Purab Ang tradition of Thumri. He won Padma Vibhushan in 2020 and Padma Bhushan in 2010.

T.T. Jagannathan, chairman emeritus of T.T.K. Prestige, passed away in Bengaluru on October 10, 2025. He was a promoter-director of the company and had been at the helm of T.T.K. Prestige Ltd. since 1975. He led the company to become a market leader in the small appliances industry in the country, according to the company’s annual report for 2025.

Known as the Father of Indian advertising, Piyush Pandey, passed away on October 24, 2025. Under him Ogilvy became India’s top ad agency and earned a prime position in creativity. He was the first jury President from Asia for the Cannes Lions Festival. He had won over 1,000 awards over the span of his illustrious 40-year career.

Veteran actor Govardhan Asrani, who endeared himself to the audiences by playing the eccentric jailer in “Sholay” and many other memorable roles in over 300 films, passed away on October 20, 2025.

Giorgio Armani, Italy’s most famous designer, passed away on September 4, 2025. Armani, who was 91, was synonymous with modern Italian style and elegance. He combined the flair of the designer with the acumen of a businessman, running a company that turned over some 2.3 billion euros ($2.7 billion) a year.

Zubeen Garg, Assam’s cultural icon, died on September 19, 2025 in Singapore. His death plunged Assam and the wider Northeast into profound mourning. He recorded over 40,000 songs and became a voice for every mood. His sudden shifts in octave — from high to middle to low — were a mark of his musical gift.

Well-known Kannada writer and Saraswati Samman awardee S.L. Bhyrappa, 94, passed away on September 24. He served as a professor of philosophy in various parts of India, including Gujarat and New Delhi, even as he continued to write his novels.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) co-founder Shibu Soren, popularly known as ‘Dishom Guru or Guruji’ passed away in New Delhi on August 4, 2025. Shibu Soren played a crucial role in the creation of the separate State of Jharkhand, turning a long-standing dream into reality.

Former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satya Pal Malik passed away on August 5, 2025. He has also served as the Governor of Meghalaya, Goa, Odisha and Bihar. He was a seasoned grass roots politician from western Uttar Pradesh, who weathered many a political storm spanning over five decades.

L. Ganesan, Governor of Nagaland and former senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, passed away in Chennai on August 15, 2025. He had earlier served as the Governor of Manipur and held the additional charge as the Governor of West Bengal.

Renowned Punjabi actor Jaswinder Bhalla passed away on August 22, 2025. A popular comedian and character actor, Bhalla was known for his roles in Punjabi films such as ‘Carry on Jatta’, ‘Mahaul Theek Hai’, ‘Jatt Airways’, and ‘Jatt & Juliet 2’, among others.

Actor Achyut Potdar, known for popular roles in TV shows and films, including ‘3 Idiots’, passed away on August 19, 2025. Potdar played supporting roles in many iconic films and TV shows Aandolan, Wagle Ki Duniya, Dabangg 2, and Ferrari Ki Sawaari.

Comrade V.S. or Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan was the oldest living communist in India. The former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan passed away on July 21, 2025. He was Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011. The veteran communist and freedom fighter was an iron-jawed icon of the communist movement in Kerala and a towering, if not fiery, presence in State politics for decades.

Veteran actor Kota Srinivasa Rao, known for portraying characters of diverse shades on screen, led an equally multifaceted life off-screen. He began as a science student, before stepping into the world of banking. Even while working as a banker, his heart belonged to the stage, and he actively pursued theatre. Eventually, driven by passion and purpose, he took the final plunge into the Telugu film industry, where he went on to leave an indelible mark with his extraordinary performances. He passed away on July 13, 2025.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, died in Air India plane crash on June 12, 2025. He was inducted into cabinet, entrusted with crucial portfolios, became State party president and later became CM — all in less than two years.

M.R. Srinivasan, a key architect of India’s nuclear programme, passed away on May 20, 2025. He was the former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy. Srinivasan joined the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in September 1955 and began his distinguished career working alongside Dr. Homi Bhabha on the construction of India’s first nuclear research reactor, Apsara, which achieved criticality in August 1956.

Eminent astrophysicist, science communicator, and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Jayant Vishnu Narlikarpassed away in Pune on May 20, 2025. A towering figure in Indian science, Dr. Narlikar was widely known for his pioneering contributions to cosmology, his efforts to popularise science, and for setting up premier research institutions in the country.

Saroj Ghose, the founding Director General of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), and the father of India’s science museum movement, passed away on May 18, 2025. Ghose served as the Director General of the NCSM from 1979 to 1997. He is fondly remembered as the architect of India’s network of science centres and museums.

Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025. He was the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, who served 12 years. His papacy was significant for several reasons. He was the first pope from outside Europe in more than a thousand years. Further, he was the first Jesuit ever to become Pope in the Order’s near 500-year history. He was the first Pope who got ‘Man of the Year’ for defending gay rights.

Manoj Kumar, who was affectionately known as Bharat Kumar, passed away on April 4, 2025. Known for iconic films with patriotic themes, he made Bharat a household name, he created an idealist hero with a strong moral compass who stood for national integrity, putting self before family and country, and was steadfast in raising his voice against social injustice, foreign influence, unemployment, and corruption.

Eminent Kathak exponent and choreographer Kumudini Lakhiapassed away on April 12, 2025. Lakhia was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, on the Republic Day this year in recognition of her lifelong dedication to Kathak.

Former ISRO chairman Dr. K Kasturiranganpassed away on April 25, 2025. Dr. Kasturirangan started his career as an X-ray astronomer and went on to serve as Secretary, Department of Space. He made significant contributions in the field of science, technology and education through his academic achievements. He was conferred with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.

Mathew Samuel Kalarickal, eminent cardiologist, recognised as the ‘Father of Angioplasty’ in India, died on April 18, 2025. Dr. Kalarickal performed the first angioplasty in India in 1986, and was also instrumental in setting up and establishing angioplasty facilities in a number of countries in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Veteran BJP leader Debendra Pradhan, who was a Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, died on March 17, 2025. Pradhan, a doctor by profession, started his journey in politics in Talcher and rose from the grassroots level. He first became the BJP’s state president in 1988 and continued in the post for consecutive two terms till 1993. He returned to the post in 1995 and remained there till 1997.

Aga Khan, spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims and a philanthropist passed away on February 4, 2025. He was considered by his followers to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.

Two-time Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner, was celebrated for the versatility of his performances across a career spanning over six decades.

Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Navin Chawla, passed away on February 1, 2025. Chawla had joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1969. In the course of his career, he served in the Governments of Delhi, Goa, Puducherry and Lakshadweep as well as Ministries of Labour, Home, and Information and Broadcasting, where as Joint Secretary and later as Secretary, he helped to shape the “Open-Sky” policies.

Pritish Nandy, poet, producer, magazine editor and parliamentarian, died of a cardiac arrest in Mumbai on January 8, 2025. Nandy was one of those unique bridge-builders in Indian arts and letters. If a path seemed to present itself, Nandy forged ahead, decisive and undaunted. Among the most fleet-footed of cultural figures, he transitioned from literature to journalism and onwards to politics and film.

David Lynch, the American filmmaker, writer and artist who scored best director Oscar nominations for “Blue Velvet,” “The Elephant Man” and “Mulholland Drive” and co-created the groundbreaking TV series “Twin Peaks,” died on January 16, 2025. David Lynch’s evocative style, marked by surreal imagery and unconventional storytelling, reveals a deep understanding of gendered existence, exploring the complexities of women’s lives through empathy; his works unravel layered narratives, offering a look at trauma and identity.