This Indian film-maker, who just a few weeks ago received from the Academy an Oscar for his lifetime achievement in film-making, died yesterday. What was his name?

In a poignant turn of events in the spring of 1992, the world of cinema lost one of its most influential figures. Just weeks after receiving an Honorary Oscar for his lifetime of cinematic achievement, the celebrated Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray passed away on April 23, 1992. He was so ill at the time of the Academy Awards that he was unable to attend the ceremony in Los Angeles. Instead, the award was presented to him in his hospital bed in Calcutta. This recognition was a fitting tribute to a career that had profoundly shaped world cinema.

Satyajit Ray was a true auteur, a master storyteller who was involved in nearly every aspect of his films, from writing the screenplays and directing to composing the music and designing the costumes. He is perhaps best known for his debut feature, "Pather Panchali" (1955), the first film in the acclaimed Apu Trilogy. This series of films, which followed the life of a young boy in rural Bengal, brought international recognition to Indian cinema. His work was celebrated for its deep humanism, realism, and its ability to tell stories with a universal appeal while remaining firmly rooted in Indian culture.

Born in Calcutta in 1921, Ray's artistic talents were not limited to filmmaking; he was also a writer, illustrator, and calligrapher. Over his four-decade career, he directed over 30 films, including "Charulata," "The Music Room," and "The Stranger." While his films often found larger audiences abroad than in his native India, his impact on the art of motion pictures is undeniable. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored him for his "rare mastery of the art of motion pictures and his profound humanitarian outlook."