Remembering Dr. Haque

Dear Pranab, I am so very sorry to hear this. I pray that you will be lifted up and that you may take the time to sit with this great loss, find the way to gain your footing once again and be blessed and supported in honoring his memory and carrying his work. Dr. Haque was a most amazing and most kind person. An ambassador for Land rights and a renowned scholar, fellow ag economist, who touched the lives of many. Sending you a hug and sitting silently from a far with you.

It is really heartbreaking news. Heartfelt condolences to his family. A great loss to the agricultural sector. The country has lost a great thinker and selfless worker. Will miss his infectious laughter. He leaves behind such wonderful memories. May his soul RIP.

Dr Haque was indeed a great human, besides being a noted Agricultural Economist. My first personal interaction with Dr Haque (though I knew him earlier) was at Odisha Secretariate when he was meeting State Government officials on the NTFP Policy. I was Director, Panchayati raj then. Thereafter, I’ve met him in many Conferences and meetings to learn from his deep insights on many areas of Agri policy space, namely land reforms-related issues. He was extremely jovial, affectionate, and a learned person. Can’t believe, he’s no more. Let’s imbibe his ideals and carry forward his legacy on matters benefitting the smallholder farmers in India. Shall miss him. Prayers!

This is terrible and in continuation of all gloomy news that I hear from some days. I have no words to say anything....I completely share your feelings.
We need to take forward his legacy. Let us talk once we recover from the shock.

He had lot of ideas on the possible next stage of land reforms. He was forthright in expressing his views and guiding younger people. My condolences to the bereaved family of Dr T Haque.

I am eternally grateful. Dr. Haque was a close friend, colleague, and collaborator for the past 22 years. He was a hugely influential presence in my life, as he was for so many. But for him, I would not have spent 5+ years living and working in India. His combination of kindness, intellect, humility, friendliness, and commitment to and contributions for the downtrodden was unparalleled.  Few people live such lives of impact. Few people befriend people all across the socioeconomic spectrum. He befriended people no matter their position -- befriending and showing respect to prime ministers and casual laborers alike. Let the way he lived his life be a model and inspiration for us all. The past two days have been a struggle as I come to grips with this loss. God rest his soul. Dr. Haque -- you are deeply missed.

I am shocked to hear this which is a big loss for the land community and for India. Please give my condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace. Klaus Deiniger.

Dr. Haque's passion and commitment toward inclusive land reforms were matched only by his generosity of spirit and good humour. As Chief of the Land Cell, at the NITI Aayog, he believed in finding solutions to intractable land problems through dialogue and collaborative research. He was generous in his praise for the Land Rights Initiative's research on "land acquisition" and "land rights of Scheduled Tribes in Scheduled Areas". We were privileged to share a first look of our ambitious "One Thousand Land Laws" research project at a panel chaired by him in the India Land and Development Conference, 2019. 

Though the global fraternity recognised him as an agriculture economist and land policy expert, his empathy with small farmers distinguished him from other domain experts.

A people's economist, a rare breed nowadays.

Dr Haque was among very few professionals, who was equally popular among students, academicians, bureaucrats, politicians, media, farmers and his friends. His other personal qualities include simplicity, humility, integrity and courage. He was characterised as a distinguished researcher, outstanding teacher, generous for poor, sympathiser for farmers, wonderful human being and lovely friend. His departure to heavenly abode is terrible loss to me personally as well as entire agriculture fraternity.

Dr T Haque was so honest and courageous in his own ways of explaining early this year amid the chaos that reigned in the country on the Farm Bills. "He was courageous enough to express his views that these farm bills are good only in theory and are far removed from the ground realities of the small and marginal farmers Unless small and marginal farmers are organised as cooperatives or producers’ groups, they will fail to benefit from such big reforms.

We lost a scholar, a champion of farmers, tribals and other marginalised people in India - mentor, guide, friend.

I will always remember Dr Haque for his passion towards land policy and agriculture issues in India. He always wished that more young researchers should become a part of this community. I remember the first ILDC in 2017 when I presented the preliminary findings of the pilot impact assessment of DI-LRMP in the first session of the conference. As I was new to the area of land policy, I was not sure if I did a good job in communicating the key idea/issues of the work. To my surprise, Dr Haque specifically mentioned my name in his concluding remarks for the conference and appreciated the fact that a young researcher is venturing into the area of land policy issues. That was the start of my association with Dr Haque and it strengthened over the years. As I was aware that land policy issues in India are multi-faceted and highly detailed, I never left an opportunity to learn as much as I could from Dr Haque.

He was always available to meet or for a phone call to answer my naïve questions and that undoubtedly has been fundamental in shaping my knowledge.
He was truly a mentor and a guide for someone who wanted to learn and grow in the field of land policy. He has left a void which is difficult to fill.
He will be missed.