Veteran broadcaster, cultural icon Hans Hanoomansingh dies

VETERAN media personality and cultural luminary Hansley “Hans” Hanoomansingh has died.

Hanoomansingh, 82, died after an illness, his brother Gideon Hanoomansingh confirmed in a post on social media.

“In response to tremendous outpouring via social media and phone calls, I confirm with great sadness, the passing of my dear brother Hans, a true patriot of Trinidad and Tobago whose contribution to nation building was selfless and exemplary," Gideon Hanoomansingh said on July 5.

Hanoomansingh, a pioneering broadcaster and cultural advocate, worked for many years at Radio Trinidad and the National Broadcasting Service where he developed a reputation for placing East-Indian culture at the forefront of the national psyche.

He is also credited with making the Divali Nagar a staple on the national cultural calendar.

Hanoomansingh was awarded the Hummingbird Medal Gold in 1990 for his contribution to media and culture.

President of the National Council of Indian Culture and Independent Senator Deeroop Teemal said the country had lost a national cultural icon and activist.

“His contributions to Indian culture, in particular, has been unique in many regards and he will always be remembered for his leadership of the National Council of Indian Culture and for the conceptualisation which has become a national event of large magnitude,” he said.

Dale Enoch, interim president of the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago, described Hanoomansingh as a “media person at heart.

“He loved media. He loved culture. He loved marrying the two. I am sure the industry, the profession, is a little poorer for his passing,” he said.