Mohit Sen, 74

A communist with nationalist sympathies, Marxist intellectual Mohit Sen was known for his commitment to democracy. Opposed to communalism, he tried to promote understanding among the communists, Congress supporters and the secular intelligentsia.

Harivansh Rai Bachchan, 96

He was the grand old man of modern Hindi literature. From the intoxicating Madhushala to his four-volume autobiography, he shaped his creativity on his own terms. A writer of some of the most lyrical verses in Hindi, Bachchan will be best remembered for giving modern Hindi poetry the kind of popularity it had never before known.

Born Badruddin Kazi, Johnny Walker added his distinctive stamp of humour in films like Naya Daur, Aadmi aur Insaan, Madhumati, Devdas and CID. Who can ever forget the timeless Sar jo tera chakraye or Yeh hai Bombay meri jaan? Unable to relate to the crude comedies of the 1970s, Walker went into self-imposed retirement, returning for a last laugh in Chachi 420 in 1997.

Kalpana Chawla, 41

From a small town in Haryana, Kalpana Chawla travelled all the way to the heavens, clocking 760 hours in space and circling the globe 252 times. Chawla's brilliant career came to a premature end when the Columbia shuttle burst into flames just 16 minutes away from earth while returning from her second journey into space.

Bhupen Khakhar, 69

Considered by many to be the enfant terrible of contemporary Indian art, Bhupen Khakhar's paintings were marked by a rare irreverence. His body of work includes several explicit paintings on homosexuality and a stirring portrait of writer Salman Rushdie.

Murasoli Maran, 69

An articulate and eloquent speaker, Murasoli Maran essayed different roles as politician, journalist, filmmaker. As minister for industries and commerce in the NDA Government the DMK leader personified the new Indian policymaker. Maran's defining moment came during the WTO ministerial meeting in Doha in 2001 where he took a tough stand against protectionism by developed western economies.

Tun Tun, 80

Bollywood's first comedian began her career as a singer. She added a dash of comic relief to even the most tragic tale. Her mere presence was enough to set audiences chuckling.

Shunu Sen, 63

He was the marketing guru who, with Alyque Padamsee, created two enduring images of Indian advertising-the Liril girl and the epitome of homegrown wisdom, Lalitaji. Associated with the promotional campaigns of several power brands, Siddharth 'Shunu' Sen's body of work at Hindustan Lever Limited will remain part of marketing lore.

Also Wilson Jones, 81, M.L. Sondhi, 70, Bhabesh Sanyal, 101, Narayan D. Keshavan, 53, K.R. Malkani, 82, Bhisham Sahni, 84, Leela Chitnis, 93, A.M. Khusro, 78.