Compassionate Crusaders' chair emeritus Russi Mody, 96

Russi Mody playing with dogs at the Karuna Kunj sanctuary. (Compassionate Crusaders Trust photo)

Russi Mody, 96, died on May 16, 2014, in Kolkata, India.

A Parsi vegetarian with a lifelong love of animals, Mody joined the Tata Steel company in 1939 as an office assistant, rising to head the firm from 1972 to 1993.

Post-retirement from Tata Steel, Mody served as joint chair of Indian Airlines and Air India. Also in 1993, Mody founded the Kolkata-based steel brokerage Mobar India Ltd., and became patron and chair of the then newly formed Compassionate Crusaders Trust, headed since inception by Debasis Chakrabarti.

The Compassionate Crusaders Trust operates the Karuna Kunj animal hospital and sanctuary at the edge of Kolkata, and from 1996 to 2008 held the Kolkata Municipal Corporation animal control contract.

Beth & Merritt Clifton.
(Geoff Geiger photo)

“Due to advancing age and for personal reasons I have decided to withdraw from all active participation in welfare and social activities,” Mody wrote to Compassionate Crusaders in August 2009. “Since I cannot discriminate between the various organizations with which I am connected, I have decided to withdraw from all.”

Mody remained involved, however, as chairperson emeritus.