VISAKHAPATNAM:A multifaceted personality Susarla Gopala Sastry (93) passed way at his residence at about 8 am in Visakhapatnam Saturday. The family members said that Sastry passed away in sleep and his last rites would be performed at 3 pm on Sunday. He is survived by two sons and five daughters. Considered as ‘Bheeshmacharya’ of civil engineering, Sastry was a pioneer in the field and played an active role in the establishment of the local chapters of various technical organisations including the Builders Association of India, the Institute of Valuers, the Indian Institute of Bridge Engineers, the Indian Concrete Institute and the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers.
As a philosopher and philanthropist, he made innumerable contributions and was the founder secretary of the Visakha Music and Dance Academy. As a managing partner of Soham Group of Companies, he executed works for Indian Railways, TVS Industries, Godrej and Boyce, HPCL, BPCL and other oil companies.