Port-of-Spain: The much-revered Dharmacharya of the Hindu community in Trinidad and Tobago, Pundit Uttam Maharaj, has died at the age of 70 years following a brief illness. He served for 13 years as the spiritual leader of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha(SDMS) which is the major Hindu group led by Satnarayan Maharaj, secretary general. He served the people of this country with great distinction and respected all religious groups with great respect and distinction and dignity.

Pundit Maharaj had a special love for the children of all religious groups and was an educator and teacher of the Hindi, Sanskrit,arts, music and culture, himself being an accomplished sitar player, and adjudicated in several competitions with the Ministry of Education. He served as President of the Hindu Parishad Council, an arm of the SDMS. Pundit Maharaj was married to Indra, daughter of the late Pundit Krishna Maharaj whom he succeeded as Damharmacharya.