Professor Bishnodat Persaud was given a royal send-off in the UK

Dear Editor,

Professor Bishnodat Persaud was given a royal send off in the UK in a unique ceremony containing Hindu, Christian and secular elements which was attended by hundreds including two knights Sir Shridath Ramphal, former Commonwealth Secretary General, and Sir Vince Cable former Business Secretary in the British Government.

Professor Persaud’s body was cremated on Friday ten days after his passing. He had a distinguished career and played a significant role in encouraging the future Finance\minister and later Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, along the path.

Persuasive but always modest, his ideas found their way to high level commissions of which he was part, such as the UN Secretary General’s High Level Committee on Development Policy as Chief Economic Advisor to Sir Shridath Ramphal, Commissioner to the Brandt, Bruntland and South Commissions.

Professor Persaud insisted that his wife Lakshmi Persaud, his sons, Raj, Avinash and daughter Sharda received their PhD degrees. His sister Maharanie also holds a PhD degree. He received the highest national honour from the government of Barbados two years ago and his wife who was born in Trinidad and Tobago received an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies in 2014.

In his tribute, Sir Shridath said that he was born in New Amsterdam, five miles from where Persaud was born and added that the two Berbice boys did a marvellous job for the Commonwealth Secretariat and the world.

Scores of persons from the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean journeyed to London for the funeral. Among the attendees were Dr Hughley Hanoman, Professor Clem Seecharran, Dr Krishna Persaud, lawyers Tom Kharran, David Singh, Edward Rooney, journalist John Meir and others.

His ashes will be flown to Guyana to be thrown in the Canje Creek, a hundred yards from where the Professor was born.

Yours truly,

Oscar Ramjeet