Founder of NGO Prayas passes away

Girish Sant, founder of NGO Prayas, a policy advocacy group in the power sector, died of a heart attack in a hotel in New Delhi on Thursday. He was 46.

Sant completed his BTech in chemical engineering from IIT-Bombay in 1986, followed by a Master’s degree in energy systems engineering in 1988. But instead of pursuing a corporate career like most other IIT graduates, `Bandya’, as he was known to friends, chose to become an analyst in public policy. Prayas was a think tank that contributed greatly to the debate on power sector policy.

In a press release, Prayas Energy Group said: “Sant will be remembered for his scientific criticism of some major power projects, including the Sardar Sarovar project, and the tariff policy of the state power distribution company. He was a member of the Climate Experts’ Group under Basic Countries, the Planning Commission’s experts committee on the Low Carbon Strategy for Inclusive Growth and the 12th Plan steering committee of the ministry of non-renewable energy and ministry of power. He contributed immensely to national and international debate on energy policy and regulation, especially in the light of climate change.”

Friends and colleagues described Sant as a gentle giant who combined a soft and understated personality with depth of knowledge. He was also a mountaineer.