Renowned film actor Farooq Sheikh passed away on December 28 following a massive heart attack in Dubai. The 64-year-old actor was last seen in Club 60, released earlier this month. Sheikh was best known for his roles in Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Sai Paranjpe’s Chashme Baddoor and Sagar Sarhadi’s Bazaar.

PETER O’TOOLE

Peter O’Toole was an Irish actor. Often called the Hamlet of his generation. Nominated for eight Academy Awards for Best Actor in his lifetime. Some of his well-known works include ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘Venus’ and ‘The Stunt Man’. Died on December 14.

VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA

Vidya Charan Shukla, Former Union Cabinet minister and Congress leader. Close aide of Indira Gandhi. Critically injured in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh on May 25. Succumbed to his injuries on June 11.

TARLA DALAL

Tarla Dalal, one of India‘s most celebrated chefs and prolific cookbook writers. Died on November 6.

SYD FIELD

Syd Field was an American screenwriting guru. Died on November 17.

SRIKANTA DATTA WODEYAR

Scion of the erstwhile Mysore royal family, former Congress MP from the Mysore constituency and also a fashion designer. Died on December 10.

SIR JOHN TAVENER
Famous British composer. Some of his wellknown works include ‘Song for Athene’ and ‘The Whale’. Died on November 12.

SIR ANTHONY CARO
Widely regarded as the greatest British sculptor of his generation and worked as an assistant to Henry Moore in the 1950s. Died on October 23.

SHAMSHAD BEGUM

She was one of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Died on April 23.

SHAKUNTALA DEVI
Known for her mathematical prowess and the ability to compute complex equations mentally. Died on April 21.

SEAMUS HEANEY
One of the world’s best-known poets and winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize for literature. Died on August 30.

SANDEEP ACHARYA

Winner of second season of Indian Idol. Died on December 15.

RITUPARNO GHOSH

National Award winner filmmaker. His widely acclaimed films include ‘Unishe April’, ‘Dahan’, ‘Asukh’, ‘Chokher Bali’, ‘Raincoat’, ‘Bariwali’, ‘Antarmahal’ and ‘Noukadubi’. Died on May 30.

RAY PRICE
Famous American singer and guitarist. Some of his well-known works include ‘Night Life’, ‘Release Me’ and ‘Crazy Arms’. Died on December 16.

RAJENDRA YADAV
Noted Hindi author and a pioneer of the literary movement ‘Nayi Kahani’. Died on October 28.

PRAN

Appeared in over 350 films. His widely acclaimed films include ‘Madhumati’, ‘Ram Aur Shyam’, ‘Don’, ‘Zanjeer’ and ‘Upkar’. Winner of Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Died on July 12.

Hugo Chavez (March 5)
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died after a two-year battle with cancer, ending 14 years of tumultuous rule that made the socialist leader a hero for the poor but a hate figure to his opponents. The flamboyant 58-year-old had undergone four operations in Cuba for a cancer that was first detected in his pelvic region in mid-2011. His last surgery was on December 11, 2012 and he had not been seen in public since.

Margaret Thatcher (April 8)

Britain’s first woman Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, known as the Iron Lady, passed away in April this year following a stroke at the age of 87. Thatcher’s three terms as Prime Minister brought enormous change to the UK.

ABIR GOSWAMI (MAY 30)
Television actor Abir Goswami, who acted in Hindi films such as ‘Khakee, Lakshya’ and ‘Darna Mana Hai’, died at the age of 37 following a heart attack.. Abir Goswami had acted in TV serials like ‘Kkusum, Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli, Hotel Kingston’ and ‘Pyar Ka Dard Hai’. Abir was diagnosed with lymphoma in May 2012 and had unndergone surgery.

JIAH KHAN (JUNE 3)
The 25-year-old actress, best remembered as the ‘Nishabd’ girl, was found hanging at her flat in suburban Mumbai this year. A six-page suicide note was discovered by Jiah Khan’s mother a few days after her death. In the note Jiah wrote about her relationship with Suraj Pancholi, that landed the budding actor in jail. After spending over 20 days in jail, Suraj was released on bail. While the police claimed it was a case of suicide, Jiah’s mother Rabiya Khan alleged that it was not suicide and sought police to probe the angle of murder.

CORY MONTEITH (JULY 13)
‘Glee’ star Cory Monteith died of intravenous heroin use combined with the ingestion of alcohol in his hotel room in Vancouver. Monteith became famous as Finn Hudson with the success of Fox’s musical series since its launch in 2009. He was dating Lea Michele, who also played his onscreen love interest in the series and supported his decision to get into rehab.

MANNA DEY (OCTOBER 24)
Legendary playback singer Manna Dey died at a city hospital in October after prolonged illness. Manna Dey, 94, who was admitted to Narayana Hrudayalaya five months ago for respiratory problems, died of cardiac arrest. He was born as Prabodh Chandra Dey but was popularly known as Manna Dey. Manna Dey then began his journey in Bollywood as an assistant music director in 1942 when he accompanied Krishna Chandra Dey to Mumbai (then Bombay). During his lifespan, the legendary singer received Dadasaheb Phalke Award and National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.

RESHMA (NOVEMBER 3)
Legendary Pakistani folk singer Reshma, who mesmerised music lovers in the Indian subcontinent with soulful rendition of songs like ‘Lambi Judai’ and ‘Dama Dam Mast Kalandar’ in her trademark rustic voice, died in Lahore on after a prolonged battle with throat cancer.

PAUL WALKER (NOVEMBER 30)
The star of the ‘Fast & Furious’ movie series died in a tragic car crash this November. The horrifying car crash killed Walker and his friend in north of Los Angeles. Walker, 40, was working on ‘Fast & Furious 7’ at the time of his death. He also starred in the suspense drama, ‘Hours’, which is set for release this month.

NELSON MANDELA (DEC 5)

Anti-Apartheid leader and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela died at his Johannesburg home after a prolonged lung infection. He was born on 18th July 1918 in a small village of Mvezo which was then a part of South Africa’s Cape Town province. He was given the forename Rolihlahla which basically means ‘troublemaker’. Mandela’s name was going to have a huge effect on him in the future as he would go onto create enormous trouble for the ruling racist regime in South Africa.

DAVID COLEMAN (DEC 21)
British sports broadcaster David Coleman, who covered 11 Summer Olympics for the BBC and six football World Cups, died at the age of 87. Coleman retired from the BBC in 2000 after covering the Sydney Olympics. He became the first broadcaster to receive an Olympic Order medal to recognize his contribution to the Olympic movement.

MIKHAIL KALASHNIKOV (DECEMBER 23)
Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of famed Russian AK-47 assault rifle, passed away in his home city of Izhevsk, an industrial town. Kalashnikov was the carnage of World War II, when Nazi Germany overran much of the Soviet Union, which altered his course and made his name as well-known for bloodshed as Smith, Wesson and Colt. The distinctive shape of the gun, often called “a Kalashnikov,” appeared on revolutionary flags and adorns memorabilia