I never expected to find out about the passing of one of my closest friends via HN. I'm sure others will find better ways to articulate the below. Atul was a

I never expected to find out about the passing of one of my closest friends via HN. I'm sure others will find better ways to articulate the below. Atul was a wonderful human being. Others know him as the face of open source in India, the man who with his writing, his enthusiasm and his unlimited passion willed the FOSS community forward in India. There is a reason why almost anyone who was involved with open source in India knew his name and probably recalled him fondly. Me, I know him, as one of my closest friend and mentor. Never missing a chance to poke fun at my Microsoft past, he was a huge source of inspiration and friendship to me and my wife. His last tweet quotes Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" - that is exactly what he was. Atul, we'll miss you beyond what mere words can express.