“A golden voice has fallen silent” – Pres Ali on passing of veteran broadcaster, Rovin Deodat

Local radio icon, Dr Rovin Deodat, has passed away after a period of illness.

Tributes have been pouring in for the veteran broadcaster whose distinct voice and extensive knowledge of words are known to generations of Guyanese. His popular ‘From Word to Word’ segment introduced listeners to countless words as he explained the meaning, origin, pronunciation, and proper use of those words.

Among those hailing Dr Deodat is President Dr Irfaan Ali, who described the radio stalwart as a master of his craft with substantial contributions to the local broadcasting industry.

See below for the full message of condolences by President Ali: 

𝐀 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭

There are deaths that leave a family in mourning, deaths that leave a profession bereaved, and then there are deaths that seem to remove a familiar sound from the very life of a country. The passing Dr. Rovin Deodat is such a death.

For generations of Guyanese, his voice was a daily companion, an intimate presence that entered homes, cars, offices and workplaces, bringing with it the quiet authority of learning. For countless listeners, tuning in to From Word to Word had become a daily routine in which Rovin Deodat took them on adventure into the world of words.

From Word to Word explored the meaning of words, their roots, evolution, pronunciation and proper usage. In so doing, Dr. Deodat reminded us that language is one of the great inheritances of human civilisation. And he was a master of that craft.

But to remember Rovin Deodat only as the man of From Word to Word would be to diminish the breadth of his contribution. He was a communications professional, an educator, a broadcaster and a consultant who made a substantial contribution to the development of broadcasting in Guyana. He was involved in training many of the broadcasters who would themselves become fixtures on local radio.

In that sense, his legacy lives in the voices of others. It lives in the broadcasters he trained. It lives in the listeners he educated. It lives in the students and ordinary citizens whose vocabulary was enlarged because of him. And it lives in the countless people who, perhaps without even realising it, became more attentive to the meaning and proper use of words because Rovin Deodat made language a part of their daily lives.

To his family and friends, I extend my deepest condolences. His was a life lived in service of knowledge, language, communication and country.