Sargur (Hari) Srihari, 1949-2022
Online Guestbook

Thank you very much for visiting. We invite you to share your thoughts on his passing using the guestbook below.
You can read about Hari’s life here. Service details and information about honoring Hari are available here.
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Dear Rohini,
This is a truly sad occasion.
We've always known that Hari was a brilliant engineer and innovator, and an organizer of that remarkable lab, CEDAR. But his fine and descriptive bio gives details I wasn’t aware of. One thing that stands out for me is his lifelong attachment to the land of his birth, and loyalty to IISc, the institution that gave him a start in his education. Unlike so many others, he felt he needed to 'give back', serving as a Visiting Professor there in addition to establishing a scholarship program, none of which I knew before reading his bio.
I did recognize his attachment in a way, though. Organizing ICDAR in Bangalore in 1999 (along with Kasturi) was, I felt, an attempt at bringing international recognition for computer science in India. I presented a paper there, visited relatives in Bangalore, and took the opportunity to travel to Kerala and spend some time with my last surviving uncle, Benjamin (my father's youngest brother.) My uncle died a few months later. That was my last visit to India.
Our professional collaboration with Hari spanned several years including the time he was on our BSC (if I remember correctly). In addition, I always enjoyed his dropping in on us while visiting Washington. His work in forensic handwriting recognition, though not in our bailiwick, was interesting all the same.
Well, as the years roll on, we'll see more of our friends pass on. At least we can say that we were truly fortunate to have known and valued Hari.
My sincere condolences to you and the family,
George Thoma (NIH/National Library of Medicine, Retired)
This is a truly sad occasion.
We've always known that Hari was a brilliant engineer and innovator, and an organizer of that remarkable lab, CEDAR. But his fine and descriptive bio gives details I wasn’t aware of. One thing that stands out for me is his lifelong attachment to the land of his birth, and loyalty to IISc, the institution that gave him a start in his education. Unlike so many others, he felt he needed to 'give back', serving as a Visiting Professor there in addition to establishing a scholarship program, none of which I knew before reading his bio.
I did recognize his attachment in a way, though. Organizing ICDAR in Bangalore in 1999 (along with Kasturi) was, I felt, an attempt at bringing international recognition for computer science in India. I presented a paper there, visited relatives in Bangalore, and took the opportunity to travel to Kerala and spend some time with my last surviving uncle, Benjamin (my father's youngest brother.) My uncle died a few months later. That was my last visit to India.
Our professional collaboration with Hari spanned several years including the time he was on our BSC (if I remember correctly). In addition, I always enjoyed his dropping in on us while visiting Washington. His work in forensic handwriting recognition, though not in our bailiwick, was interesting all the same.
Well, as the years roll on, we'll see more of our friends pass on. At least we can say that we were truly fortunate to have known and valued Hari.
My sincere condolences to you and the family,
George Thoma (NIH/National Library of Medicine, Retired)
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