Managing Worker and Chairman of Sahara India Pariwar, one of the biggest conglomerates of India, Subrata Roy Sahara, fondly called Saharasri, received heart touching tributes from a large number of people from all walks of life.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his deepest sorrow on the death of Saharasri while Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said it was an emotional loss for the state and the country as Saharasri was not only a successful businessman but also a person of big heart who helped and supported countless individuals.

Saharasri died on November 14 at 10:30 pm due to cardiorespiratory arrest following an extended battle with complications arising from metastatic malignancy, hypertension and diabetes at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute in Mumbai. He was brought to Lucknow on November 15 and the last rites were performed on November 16.

In this moment of sorrow, his wife Swapna Roy and daughter in laws Richa Roy (wife of his elder son Sushanto Roy) and Chandni Roy (wife of younger son Seemanto Roy) received immense emotional condolences from thousands of people.

The spokesperson of Sahara India Pariwar said that at this moment of great sorrow, both the Deputy Managing Workers of Sahara India Pariwar – O P Srivastava and J B Roy, younger brother of Subrata Roy Sahara – provided paternal support to the family and the entire Sahara India Pariwar.

Amongst the first to have met Swapna Roy in Mumbai immediately after the death of Saharasri was Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan who was accompanied by his son Abhishek Bachchan and daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda. They reached Sahara Star hotel in Mumbai to pay their last respects to the departed soul. Amitabh Bachchan also posted a comment on his blog to mourn the loss.

World Badminton Champion P V Sindhu said, “It is heartbreaking to learn about the passing away of Saharasri. He always treated me with love, affection and respect.”

The deep relationship that Saharasri enjoyed with players can be gauged through the condolence message from cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who said, “Saharasri was a great man and a warrior. When I got diagnosed with cancer, he was one of the few who stood by me and supported me. Saharasri’s sad demise is a huge loss and a very difficult void to fill.”

Saina Nehwal, Riteish Deshmukh, Anupam Kher, Pullela Gopichand, Madhur Bhandarkar and many more also paid tributes to Saharasri and called his demise a big loss to the country.

Subrata Roy Sahara, more than a businessman, was a nationalist and a philanthropist.

Saharasri founded Sahara India Pariwar in 1978 with Rs 2000, one 10’ x 12’ office room and 2 assistants, and transformed the landscape of micro-saving in India. He offered financial services to the unbanked and financially excluded population by educating and inculcating the habit of saving in them.

In 2004, Sahara group was termed by Time magazine as “the second-largest employer in India” after the Indian Railways. The group operates through more than 5,000 establishments spread across India and has a field and office workforce of around 12 lakh under the Sahara India umbrella.