Tributes flood in for “solar champion” Govind Kant

Tributes continue to flow for Trina Solar Australia assistant director Govind Kant, who died in India on Sunday from the coronavirus at just 47 years of age.

As RenewEconomy reported on Tuesday, Trina Solar Asia Pacific said on Monday evening that Kant, who had been based in Sydney, had returned to India for personal reasons, where he had contracted the virus and died, leaving behind a wife and two daughters.

A GoFundMe page set up by Kant’s niece Shuchi Gupta and Solar Juice co-founder Andrew Burgess said he had travelled back to India in April to say his final farewell to his mother who had died from the virus.

“Sadly during the time he was back there his father also passed away and Govind tested positive to Covid,” the page said. “Despite battling for weeks and with some improvements of late …[he] lost his battle.”

The news of Kant’s death has been met with an outpouring of grief from all corners of the Australian clean energy industry, with tributes describing Kant as a “champion” of solar, a consummate professional and a “wonderful human.”

“Govind was my uncle, and my inspiration and support in my renewables/solar career,” said Gupta on the GoFundMe page. “He had so much left to teach me, however I will always carry the knowledge and wisdom he shared with me.”

“Govind Kant was the first mentor I ever had, after we met 15 years ago while I was finding my way in renewable energy,” wrote RACV Solar CEO Andy McCarthy on LinkedIn.

“[He] was the epitome of … professional, intelligent, warm, and just an absolute gentleman to do business with,” McCarthy said.

“No one can deny the positive impact you have made to this industry and the instrumental strength you were for Trina Solar. A bar now set well high for all your manufacturing peers,” said John Chen, manager at Maurubeni Corporation, on Facebook.

“Govind, thanks for everything you did for the Australian Solar Industry – it is all the better for having a champion like you so dedicated and supportive,” said Todae Solar CEO Danin Kahn.

“Thank you Govind for your work and contribution towards a better and cleaner world. You will be dearly missed by all of us,” wrote Long Solar Australia managing director, Stephen Zhang.

“Some of us had the opportunity to meet him and shared remarkable experiences, considering him a colleague in the Solar Industry and a friend,” Zhang said.

“Govind is a great person with a big heart and full of respect for every individual that he encounters. A very dedicated man to the solar industry and doing his very best for this planet earth. We have lost a Solar Warrior, a kind soul,” said Eric Koh, general manager at SF Suntech Australia.