With deep sorrow, the CAN South Asia family mourns the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Santosh Kumar Patnaik, who passed away on 9 August 2026 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Santosh had been a part of CANSA since 2014, where he served as a Program Coordinator with dedication and commitment. In his role, he led program priorities and contributed meaningfully to the organisation’s work.
Over the years, Santosh was at the forefront of community-led initiatives, working across natural resource management, bioenergy, and community-based adaptation. His areas of interest included local-level resilience planning, participatory research, and knowledge-driven policy advocacy. He was also deeply engaged in disseminating research findings, raising awareness, and strengthening capacity through his work.
He will be remembered for his leadership, sincerity, and the positive impact he made on colleagues and the organisation alike. His passing is a profound loss to all of us.
Santosh is survived by his wife and his six-year-old son. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. We remain committed to standing with and supporting his family in the days ahead.
He will be deeply missed and always remembered.
Share Your Condolences
We invite colleagues, friends, and well-wishers to share their messages of condolence and remembrance for Santosh. Your words will be compiled and shared with his family.
Please send your messages to: divyanshi@cansouthasia.net
We are deeply grateful for the messages received in memory of Santosh.
“Santosh was a valued member of CANSA and had been leading program priorities with dedication and commitment.His passing is a profound loss to all of us. He will be remembered for his leadership, sincerity, and the meaningful contributions he made to the team and the organization.Please keep his family and loved ones in your thoughts during this difficult time. We are committed to standing with his family during this challenging time.” – Sanjay Vashisht, Director, CANSA
“Extremely sad to know. Deep condolences. Prayers for the departed soul. May Almighty give strength to the family to bear this loss.” – Shiraz Wajih, GEAG
“Very sad news! All my prayers to the departed soul and prayers for his family to bear this huge loss.” – Srinivas Krishnaswamy, Vasudha Foundation
“This is heartbreaking news. Santosh’s dedication and sincerity will always be remembered. Please convey my deepest condolences to his family. May they find strength and comfort during this difficult time.” –Sandeep Srivastava, Shohratgarh Environmental Society
“Such sad news. Deepest condolences to his family members and friends. Praying for his family at this time of grief. Rest in peace.” –Shah Abdus Salam, Development Wheel (DEW)
“It is so shocking for us. We had been concerned about his health for years. My sincere and deep condolences to his family. I pray for the eternal peace of his soul and strength for his family during this difficult time.” –Md Shamsuddoha, CPRD
“Karra Society for Rural Action is deeply saddened by the passing of Santosh Patnaik. His dedication, sincerity, and valuable contributions will always be remembered. Our heartfelt condolences to his wife, his young son, and the entire family. May they find strength and courage during this difficult time.” –Syed Ali, Karra Society for Rural Action (KSRA)
“We were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Santosh Sir. It is truly heartbreaking. Our heartfelt condolences are with his wife and son, and with everyone who knew and worked alongside him. May his contributions be remembered with respect and warmth.” –Riya Deb, The Climate Reality Project India & South Asia
“So deeply saddened to hear about Santosh. I will always remember how accessible and approachable he was, and how readily he would connect and support whenever needed. My heartfelt thoughts are with his wife, young son, and family. He will be greatly missed.” –Alka Tomar
“On behalf of Gana Unnayan Kendra (GUK), we extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to his family. We pray for the eternal peace of his soul and strength for his family to bear this profound loss.” –Abdus Salam, GUK
“Heartbroken. Om mani padme hum. Santosh was a soft-spoken gentleman who worked quietly and meticulously. I remember his countless contributions to CANSA, especially his dedicated follow-ups in selecting member organisations”.
–Prabin Man Singh, Prakriti Resource Centre
” This is such heartbreaking news. Santosh was a warm and genuine person. Despite his frail health, he was always willing to travel and support the work. I will remember his easy laugh, systematic approach, and sincerity. He genuinely cared about ecology and sustainability. My thoughts are with his wife, son, and family. Om Shanti.” –Shailendra Yashwant
” I am deeply saddened by the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Santosh Patnaik. On behalf of CANSA Bangladesh, I extend heartfelt condolences to his family, especially his wife and six-year-old son. His dedication and contributions will always be remembered. May his soul rest in peace.” –Mohammad Shahjahan, Chair, CANSA Bangladesh
“Very sad news! All my prayers to the departed soul and for his family to bear this huge loss.” –Ramesh Kute, Saraswati Sevabhavi Sanstha, Maharashtra
“I am deeply saddened to hear about Santosh’s passing. His dedication and contributions to CANSA will be remembered by all of us. Please pass our heartfelt condolences to his family. May they find strength and support.” –Biraj Gautam, PEEDA
“This is such heartbreaking news. I will always remember Santosh’s warm smile and positive spirit. We worked together at MSSRF, and I recall his contributions to climate and energy work, his love for reading, and his kind nature. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, son, and family. Om Shanti.” –Jay Anand
“Very shocking and deeply saddening news. Santosh was a genuine, warm, and accessible person. Heartfelt condolences to his family. May they find strength to bear this loss.” –Dipak, Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR)
“Labor Spring Organization extends its deepest condolences on the passing of Santosh Patnaik. His untimely passing is a profound loss. Our thoughts are with his wife, six-year-old son, and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace.” –Rohullah Nawandesh, Labor Spring Organization (LSO)
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Santosh Patnaik. I remember his support during our membership process. Our heartfelt condolences to his wife, son, and family. May his soul rest in peace. In solidarity.” –Zakir
“Sorry to hear this sad news. Deep condolences.” –Dr. Md. Golam Rabbani, C3ER
“This is very sad and shocking news. Santosh was calm, gentle, and thoughtful, with great dedication and sincerity. He will be remembered for his professionalism and kindness. Our thoughts are with his family. May his soul rest in peace.” –Rengalakshmi, R&D and Policy
“I am very sorry to hear about the sad demise of Santosh Patnaik. He was a strong pillar of support for CANSA initiatives. He will be missed. Our thoughts are with his family.” –Prof. N. Vinod Chandra Menon, NDMA (Founder Member)
“This is very sad and heartbreaking news. I admired his professionalism and respectful attitude. Keeping his family in my thoughts. May his soul rest in peace. Please let me know if I can assist in supporting his family.” –Harjeet Singh, FFNPT
“We are deeply saddened by Santosh’s passing. His untimely departure is a great loss. On behalf of Janathakshan, we extend condolences to his wife, son, and family. Our thoughts are with them. May he rest in peace.” –Janaka Hemathilaka, Janathakshan
“We express our deep commiseration and pray to the Almighty to keep his departed soul in peace.” –Aminul Hoque
“Very sad to learn of the demise of Santosh. May he rest in peace. Please convey our deepest condolences to the family.” –Farah Kabir
“I was deeply saddened to learn of Santosh Patnaik’s passing. Santosh was a kind, committed, and supportive colleague. His engagement with CANSA-Afghanistan and his willingness to offer guidance and assistance were greatly valued. He will be remembered with respect and gratitude. To Santosh’s wife, his young son, and all family members: please accept my heartfelt condolences. May you find strength, comfort, and peace during this very difficult time.” –Ajmal Shirzai, Future Generations Afghanistan
“Very sad and heartbreaking news of Santosh’s passing. Please convey our deepest condolences to his family. May they find strength and comfort during this difficult time. Om Shanti.” –Anant Bhaskar Garg, HRDEF
“Sad to hear the demise of our great colleague Santosh. No doubt his contribution to CANSA family will long be remembered. His politeness and professional commitment are still in our memories and will remain there. In solidarity with his family and friends.” –Shafqat Munir, AHMAD
“On behalf of CRT/N and EVD initiative, I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences on the passing of Santosh. His loss is deeply saddening, and my thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. May God grant eternal peace to the departed soul and provide strength, courage, and comfort to the bereaved family as they cope with this profound loss.” –Anzoo Sharma, CRT/N
“This is deeply saddening news indeed. He was one of our best and CAN-SA has lost a strong actionist. I personally will miss his friendship.” –Arjuna, Green Movement of Sri Lanka
“I was deeply saddened to learn about the untimely passing of our respected colleague and friend, Mr. Santosh Patnaik. Santosh was a dedicated, sincere, and committed member of CANSA who made meaningful contributions through his leadership and tireless efforts. His professionalism, kindness, and commitment to the organization and its mission will be remembered with great respect and gratitude. His passing is a profound loss not only to his family and loved ones but also to all of us who had the privilege of working with him. At this very difficult time, my heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies go to his wife, his six-year-old son, and all members of his family. May they find strength, courage, and comfort during this painful period. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family, and we stand with them in solidarity and support. May the departed soul rest in eternal peace.” –Dr Jumakhan Nasir, Solidarity for Afghan Families (SAF)
“This is indeed a huge loss. I would like to express my heartfelt condolences on the passing of the departed soul. May God grant eternal peace to the departed and give strength and courage to the bereaved family to cope during this difficult time.” –Umakant Chaudhary, Child Protection & Migration
“On behalf of the entire team at Chrysalis, I extend our heartfelt condolences to Santosh’s family on his loss. Santosh was a deeply respected colleague whose commitment, leadership, and contributions to CANSA’s program priorities made a lasting impact across our sector. His dedication and warmth will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of working alongside him. Please convey our deepest sympathies to his wife, his young son, and his extended family during this unimaginably difficult time. Our thoughts and support are with his family and the entire CANSA team as you navigate this profound loss. In solidarity and sympathy.” –Shiraj Morugama, Chrysalis
“It was very sad news to learn about the passing of our respected CANSA colleague. He was a dedicated and valuable member of CANSA and always tried his best for the organization and we will never forget his great work and best leadership. We share our deepest condolences and sympathy to his wife, all family members and CANSA colleagues. May he rest in peace.” –Eng. Saber Alimi, Serve Afghanistan Organization
“On behalf of the CHD Group & Constituent Units, we extend our deepest regrets on the demise of Santosh and offer our sincere condolences to the grieving family members.” –Dr. Edmond Fernandes, CHD Group
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. Santosh Patnaik. Please accept my heartfelt condolences on behalf of myself and the Organization for Relief Development (ORD). Santosh’s dedication, sincerity, leadership, and valuable contributions to CANSA and the climate action community will be deeply remembered and greatly missed. His passing is a profound loss to his colleagues, friends, and all those who had the privilege of working with him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family members and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. May they find strength, comfort, and peace in the days ahead. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Om Shanti.” –Abdul Bari Hamidi, Organization for Relief Development
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Santosh Patnaik. On behalf of REHA and CANSA Afghanistan, please accept our heartfelt condolences. Santosh’s dedication and valuable contributions to CANSA will be remembered with great respect. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, young son, family, colleagues, and all those who knew and worked with him during this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace, and may his family find strength and comfort in the days ahead.” –Hamidian, REHA
“This is a great loss! Our prayers and condolences to the family! Om Shanti!” –Rohit Magotra, IRADe
“I am shocked to hear about his untimely passing, especially since I was receiving his emails about events and webinars until a few weeks ago. Please pass on my condolences to his bereaved family and friends.” –Rituraj Phukan, Indigenous People’s Climate Justice Forum
“Very unfortunate! Our condolences to family and friends and hope he Rests in Peace.” –Suruchi Bhadwal
“We are deeply saddened to hear about this loss. Please accept our heartfelt condolences.” –Zeeshan Azeem, NOWCommunities
“Very tragic and heartbreaking to hear this sad news! We hope the family finds the strength to bear this irreplaceable loss. With our deepest condolences.” –Roshni K. Nuggehalli, Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action
“Oh! I am devastated by this sad news. Santosh’s death is indeed a tragedy for all of us in the CANSA Community. He will never be forgotten and will always be remembered for his profound knowledge, wisdom, dedication, humbleness and his kindness. Please convey my deepest condolences to his family and friends.” –Ehsan Zia, Tadbeer Consulting Inc.
