By Sue-Ann Wayow

INDEPENDENT Senator Deoroop Teemal, who died on Sunda,y has served the culture and country with distinction.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar remembered Teemal as some-one who in the Senate displayed measured analyses, courtesy, and steadfast commitment to the public good earned universal respect.

Teemal was also the President of the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC).

Persad-Bissessar said as president of the NCIC, he championed the preservation and celebration of Indo-Trinidadian heritage, fostering mutual respect across  diverse society.

She extended condolences on behalf of the government to his wife Geeta, their two daughters, his extended Teemal family, the NCIC fraternity, and all who valued his friendship and counsel.

Sharing her personal interaction she said, “In my many interactions with Senator Teemal  at the Divali Nagar, community forums, and within the political sphere,  he was invariably warm and cordial. His gracious demean our and attentive ear promoted genuine dialogue and strengthened the spirit of cooperation essential to effective public service.”

Persad-Bissessar said, beyond his cultural and parliamentary contributions, Teemal  also applied his expertise as a civil and structural engineer to projects that bolstered critical infrastructure and public utilities, underscoring his dedication to national development and the welfare of citizens.

She said his passing was a tremendous loss to the Indo-Trinidadian cultural community and the nation as a whole.

“Yet his work profoundly patriotic and grounded in public service will endure, inspiring present and future generations to honour their heritage and serve Trinidad and Tobago with the same devotion,” Persad-Bissessar said.

She said, “May his soul journey peacefully into the cosmic embrace of the Divine, liberated from worldly toil and crowned with the blessings of a life well lived. May his family find solace in the high esteem in which he was held, and may his legacy remain a guiding light for all who labour for cultural preservation and national progress.”