Former TERI chief and environmentalist Dr RK Pachauri dies at 79

Former The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) chief Dr R K Pachauri died on Thursday at the age of 79 after a prolonged cardiac ailment, stated TERI 

"It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing away of R K Pachauri, the founder Director of TERI. The entire TERI family stands with the family of Dr Pachauri in this hour of grief," tweeted TERI.

"TERI is what it is because of Dr Pachauri's untiring perseverance. He played a pivotal role in growing this institution, and making it a premier global organisation in the sustainability space," said  Director-General Dr Ajay Mathur, who succeeded Pachauri at TERI in 2015.

TERI Chairman Nitin Desai said, "Dr Pachauri’s contribution to global sustainable development is unparalleled. His leadership of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) laid the ground for climate change conversations today.”

Pachauri was admitted to Escorts Heart Institute in the national capital where he underwent open-heart surgery and was put on life support on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported quoting sources.

In 2015, Pachauri was accused of allegedly sexually harassing a woman colleague after which he quit the post.

In the statement issued by TERI, its Chairman Nitin Desai hailed Pachauri's contribution to global sustainable development as "unparalleled".

"In this solemn moment, friends and colleagues of Dr Pachauri are invited to share their remembrances, including photos, at rkp-memoriam@teri.res.in," added TERI.