OM Dipuda, VU2DPD Silent Key :

I regret to inform the VU ham community that our beloved Dipuda, VU2DPD is no more. He passed away early this morning at a nursing home in Kolkata due to a cardiac arrest. He had been admitted a few days back and was coping with pneumonia and diabetes related complications. He was around 76 years. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

An avid DXer and DXCC holder he was a CW bug. He received his ticket sometime in the mid 80s. He was a great homebrewer and his home made CW peddles were simple yet marvelous. He had a great understanding of antennas and antenna systems and experimented with several types of yagis,quads and loop antennas. (his favourite was the cubical quad which he ran and made huge pileups with during his stay in Haldia port when he was a rare DX on VHF for us in Kolkata).

He excelled in every aspect of this wonderful hobby and his friendly yet expert handling of the All India Net on 14.150 warmed our hearts for many many years. He was also the QSL manager of the ARSI QSL bureau for a very long time, a job he performed with utmost dedication and competence. He was off the air because his radio an Icom IC706MKII had developed some critical faults a few years back which he had tried very hard to repair without success. His last dream was to return on HF with a new radio which he was in the process of importing.

VU2DPD was a veteran radio ham, one of the very best in this hobby in which currently true radio hams are becoming an extinct community. He will be remembered as the wily, lanky, witty Dipuda smoking his favourite pipe, always in good humour, eager to lend his helping hand.

His loss has created a vacuum in the ham community which will never be filled. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Courtesy : Horey, VU2HFR