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.
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.
“Please find attached our condolence message on behalf of the CANSA-Afghanistan Chapter regarding the passing of Mr. Santosh Patnaik. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family, loved ones, and the entire CANSA community during this difficult time. His dedication and contributions to CANSA will be remembered with great respect. With deepest condolences.” –Sediqi, REHA
“I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Santosh Patnaik. Please accept my heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones, and the entire CANSA team during this very difficult time. Santosh’s dedication, sincerity, leadership, and commitment to the organization will be remembered with great respect. His contributions to CANSA and his commitment to advancing its program priorities made a meaningful difference, and his absence will be deeply felt by everyone who had the privilege of working with him. My heart goes especially to his wife and his six-year-old son. Losing a husband and father at such a young age is an unimaginable pain. I hope they find strength and comfort from the support and solidarity of colleagues, friends, and the wider CANSA community. May Santosh’s soul rest in peace, and may his family have the strength and courage to face this profound loss. With deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolence.” –Narayan Dhakal, EcoHimal Nepal
“This is indeed very sad and shocking news. He was a great contributor and vibrant member of CANSA. He was such a warm and genuine person, and he will be dearly missed by all of us. May his family find the strength to face this difficult moment.” –Harun, Light House
“I am deeply saddened and shocked to hear of Santosh Patnaik’s passing. This is a tremendous loss for us. He will be remembered for his dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. May they find strength and comfort in the memories of his life and contributions. May his soul rest in peace.” –Moni, NETZ Bangladesh
“This is a terrible loss. I can only imagine what all of you are going through right now. If there is anything I can do to help please let me know. I am sending the following message of condolence on behalf of INECC: It is incredibly difficult to hear about Santosh’s passing. Many of us at INECC have known and worked with Santosh over the years, and this loss feels deeply personal. He was warm, grounded and deeply committed to the communities and people he worked with. On behalf of all of us at INECC, and from me personally, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and to everyone at CANSA who worked so closely with him. Our thoughts are especially with his wife and young son. You will be deeply missed, Santosh. Rest in peace. “I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light” — John Keith Falconer.” –Myron Mendes, INECC
“This is a huge loss for us. May the departed soul rest in peace and his family have the strength to bear the shock.” –Mrityunjoy Das, CARE Bangladesh
“My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time. May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may the bereaved family find strength and courage to cope with this profound loss.” –Rabeya Begum, SDS
“On behalf of CODEC, please accept our heartfelt condolences on the passing of Mr. Santosh Patnaik. This is truly a great loss to the entire CANSA community. Our thoughts are with his wife and young son during this incredibly difficult time.” –Wafiq Alam, CODEC
“It is really saddening to lose such an active team member. However, it is more painful to lose someone so early. As you shared the obituary link, it shows the very short lifespan of Mr. Santosh Kumar Patnaik. Still, his absence is so much prominent that CANSA family is mourning very deeply. It is such an untimely demise! May his departed soul rest in peace. May God bless his family and friends with the strength to bear this irreparable loss. Heartfelt honour and respect for Mr. Santosh Patnaik on behalf of Centre for Climate Justice – Bangladesh (CCJ-B).” –Moumita Das, Centre for Climate Justice – Bangladesh
“On behalf of Terre des hommes India, I would like to share our heartfelt condolences on the passing of Santosh Kumar Patnaik. Santosh’s years of dedicated service to CANSA and his commitment to community-led climate action, resilience, and knowledge-driven advocacy are a meaningful part of the work and legacy of the organisation. His sincerity, leadership, and commitment to strengthening communities will be remembered with great respect. Our thoughts are especially with his wife and his six-year-old son. We can only imagine the immense loss they are experiencing, and we hope they find strength and comfort in the support of colleagues, friends, and the wider community that Santosh was a part of. We are grateful for the contributions Santosh made over the years and for the positive impact he had on those around him. His absence will be deeply felt, and his memory will remain with the many people and communities touched by his work. With deepest sympathy and solidarity.” –Rohit, Terre des hommes India
“The sad demise of Santosh indeed is a big loss. May his soul rest in peace and family get strength to bear the loss.” –Sajad Ahmed Abro, SHADE
“Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF) is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Santosh Kumar Patnaik. His loss is a great loss to CANSA and to all of us who knew and worked with him. Please convey our heartfelt condolences to his wife and family during this difficult time. May they find strength and comfort, and may the departed soul rest in peace.” –NWCF
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Santosh Patnaik. Santosh will be remembered for his dedicated leadership, sincerity, commitment, and the meaningful contributions he made to CANSA and the wider climate and energy movement. His absence will be deeply felt, and his contributions will continue to be remembered with respect and gratitude. On behalf of CANSA Nepal and Clean Energy Nepal, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, young son, family, colleagues, and loved ones. In keeping with the Nepalese tradition of standing together with the bereaved family, we share their grief and extend our deepest sympathies for this irreparable loss. May the departed soul rest in eternal peace, and may the family be granted strength, courage, and fortitude to bear this profound loss.” –Clean Energy Nepal, CANSA Nepal
“On behalf of The Liaison Office (TLO), we extend our deepest condolences on the passing of Santosh Kumar Patnaik. We deeply appreciate Santosh’s years of dedicated service to CAN South Asia and his commitment to advancing the network’s mission. His sincerity, leadership, and steadfast efforts to bring people together around climate action have left a lasting mark on the CANSA community and the wider climate movement. His passing is a great loss to his colleagues, friends, and all those who worked alongside him. Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with his family, loved ones, and the entire CANSA community at this difficult time. May his memory continue to inspire the work for a more resilient and sustainable future.” –Sayed Shoaib Sadaat, The Liaison Office – TLO
“Very sad indeed. May the departed soul rest in eternal peace and the family be blessed with the courage to bear this huge loss. On behalf of FRDP, please convey my heartfelt condolences to his family.” –Mansoor Ahmed, FRDP
“I am writing to express my anguish and deep sorrow at the passing of Santosh, a news that I received from Sanjay Vashishtha today. In my long association with CAN SA, Santosh was the quiet and dependable presence for the longest time. It is difficult to imagine the secretariat without his efficient and analytical work. He was a very kind person, a wonderful human being. I am so sorry for your loss and pray for you and the whole family to have the courage to hold this grief. I pray that his soul achieves eternal peace.” –Zeenat Niazi, Independent Consultant
“A huge loss. May his soul rest in peace. Strength to the family and loved ones.” –Aravind Unni
“Santosha bhai, I still cannot quite believe that you are gone. I know we will all miss your presence terribly, but I will remember you not just as a fellow climate colleague, but as a truly gentle and beautiful human being. We travelled together more than a couple of times and shared spaces too. That gave me a first-hand glimpse of the pain you were carrying throughout. And yet, despite everything, you had this incredible ability to laugh out loud at the things in life that were meant to be laughed at. You never allowed your pain to define the way you treated the world around you. You were a thorough gentleman, but also a warrior in the truest sense, someone who carried his own battles quietly, kept his pain behind him, and never seemed to speak negatively about life or about others. You truly showed me, at least, how life needs to be lived fully, every single day because, in the end, we are all just passengers on this journey. Till we meet again somewhere in the afterlife, I hope wherever you are, brother, you can finally laugh freely, without the pain you carried for so long. I will miss you, Santosha bhai. And I will especially miss having dahi chura with you. Rest well, brother.” –Nakul Sharma
