Overview

• Bill Aitken, a Scottish-born writer who made India his home, passed away at 90 after being hospitalized in Dehradun due to a fall in Mussoorie.
• He authored over two dozen books on India's mountains, rivers, and railways, including celebrated works like 'Seven Sacred Rivers' and 'The Nanda Devi Affair
• Aitken hitch-hiked to India in 1959 after studying comparative religion at Leeds University and spent decades exploring remote regions such as Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
• His passion for Indian railways led him to serve as president of the Friends of the National Rail Museum in New Delhi.
• Tributes poured in from readers and public figures like historian Ramachandra Guha, who praised Aitken's deep understanding of India’s landscapes and cultures.