Dear Editor,
It is with profound sadness and grief I learn of the passing of Pandit Rishi B Misir who served as the Dharmacharya of the Hindu Federation of Mandirs in America and the USA Pandits Parishad, bodies comprising of Indo-Caribbean Hindu leaders. He served as the spiritual head or guru of both organizations for almost two decades. At the Parishad and Federation, he provided respected leadership and great impetus to serving the Indo-Caribbean Hindu communities dispersed around the New York metro area.
Pandit Misir is a Berbician who migrated to the US during the 1970s. He comes from a family of pandits including his father, brothers, and nephews. He made a significant and lasting contribution to the Guyanese diaspora in America in the field of faith. He was also at every function of visiting Presidents from Guyana as well as of former PM of Trinidad Kamla Persad Bissessar. He will be forever be remembered for his personal courage, his love of people, and his Hindu qualities.
He did not get involved in political events or squabbles about politics in Guyana or in New York and America. He did not take public sides. But he was concerned about the lack of democracy in Guyana post 1966 thru 1992 and again post no confidence vote in December 2018 to August 2, 2020. Although he did not get involved in political struggles, he quietly supported and saluted those of us who were involved in the struggle against authoritarianism in Guyana and the attempt to steal the government in March thru July 2020.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram
