A long-time Bahrain resident and charity champion, M P Ramanathan, known respectfully and lovingly by friends as ‘Raghu’, has died after a brief illness.
He was the general manager of Modern Art Studio, the oldest official Rolex agent in the Gulf, and was instrumental in the company’s growth for close to five decades. He joined the company in 1975.
Mr Raghu, who turned 70 last month, was a well-known figure in the Indian community for his philanthropic work in Bahrain and the south Indian state of Kerala.
He hailed from Palakkad city in Kerala and died at the King Hamad University Hospital in Busaiteen yesterday.
The GDN reported in March that the former president of the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam (BKS) built a house in Kerala for a family and the keys were handed over during a ceremony held in Kozhikode.
The house was built by Mr Raghu and his family and was the 28th in a project spearheaded by the BKS.
“This is a great personal loss for me and the community,” said Mr Raghu’s close friend and BKS president P V Radhakrishna Pillai.
“I knew Raghu from the time I arrived in 1992 and since then he shuttled his life between work and dedicating time to BKS.
“He was instrumental in the construction of the BKS building in Segaiya and was a member of the association for 40 years.”
Mr Pillai said he was still coming to terms with the news after learning about his friend who he described as one of the ‘most popular community leaders’ and a true philanthropist.
“I have seen for years now how much he helped the community in Bahrain and in India,” he added. “It’s a great loss to all of us.”
Mr Raghu is survived by his mother who is in her 90s in Kerala, his wife, Shanta, and two sons – Anoop, 39, and Prashob, 33.
Owners Richard and David Murad, together with the management and staff of Modern Art Studio, expressed their deepest sympathy and grief on the sad passing of their colleague and extended their heartfelt condolences, prayers and support to his bereaved family.
Meanwhile, a condolence meeting was held last night at BKS attended by community members to pay tribute to their former senior member.
In addition, a special public viewing will be held at the BKS today at 2.30pm for the community and the cremation is expected to be held tomorrow in Kerala.
sandy@gdnmedia.bh
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