2016: A recap of the year's high profile deaths

The list includes politicians, entertainers, sportspersons and writers

The list of high-profile departures at home and abroad in 2016 included politicians, entertainers, sportspersons and writers. Here is list of some of the more prominent ones:

David Bowie (January 8, 1947-January 10, 2016): The world of rock music suffered a major loss with the death of 1970s icon David Bowie, who succumbed to cancer in early January. Bowie, who started his career in 1963, went on to dominate the industry for five decades, hitting an estimated 140 million record sales. Experimenting with his composition and his persona, Bowie became to be the classic iconoclast who inspired and influenced scores of musicians after him.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (January 12, 1936-January 7, 2016): Father of the incumbent CM Mehbooba Mufti and two-time Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir died in New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) on January 12, 2016.

Beginning his political career with the Indian National Congress, Mufti went on to found the People’s Democratic Party in 1999. Seeking a lasting political solution in the violence-torn valley of Kashmir, Mufti played a crucial role in improving relations between India and Pakistan during his political career. It was during his tenure as CM that trade was opened along the line of control.

Harper Lee (April 28, 1926-February 19, 2016): The Pulitzer prize winning author, who passed away at age 89 in Alabama, was best known for the American classic, To Kill a Mocking Bird. The novel was later adapted into a movie by Robert Mulligan in 1962 and went on to win the Oscars for the best film.

Muhammad Ali (January 17, 1942-June 3, 2016): Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr, Ali was an American pugilist and one of the most prominent sportspersons of the 20th century. Winning his first heavyweight title at age 18, Ali went on to defeat Sunny Liston- one of the dominants boxers of his era. Ali was banned from boxing for three years for refusing to join the US military during the Vietnam War. The legendary boxer died at the age of 74 owing to medical complication related to Parkinson’s disease.

Mahashweta Devi (January 14, 1926-July 28, 2016): Pioneering the field of literature and activism, Bengali writer Mahashweta Devi breathed her last at a private hospital in Kolkata. Having penned more than 100 novels during her lifetime, Mahashweta Devi gained recognition for taking up the issue of tribal rights in literature and beyond. She is also the author of the novel, Hajar Churashir Maa, which was later adapted as a movie by Govind Nihalani in 1998. The novel, which is set at the backdrop of Bengal’s Naxalite movement of the 1970s, is one of Devi’s most poignant writings.

Leonard Cohen (September 21, 1934-November 7, 2016): The legendary Canadian poet, lyricist, musician, writer died of cancer at his Los Angeles residence in California. Revered for his revolutionary writing that touched upon contemporary issues including religion, politics, isolation and sexuality, among others, Cohen began his musical career in 1967. Considered second only to Nobel Prize winning Bob Dylan, Cohen went on to create history, penning and singing songs like "Suzanne", "Hallelujah", "So Long Marianne", "Bird on Wire", among others.

Fidel Castro (August 13, 1926-November 25, 2016): Leftist-socialist leader Fidel Castro reprsented the only political challenge in the West to the all-powerful capitalist-imperialist bloc led by the United States of America. After the dissolution of the Soviet Republic in Russia in 1991, Castro kept socialist politics alive in his island country of Cuba. Famous in history for triggering the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, Castro stood firm on his anti-American stance throughout his political career as a guerrilla warrior, anti-establishment leader, Prime Minister and President.

J Jayalalithaa (February 24, 1948-December 5, 2016): Just as the winter was setting in, the Indian government sent military troops to Chennai on December 4, ahead of some unpleasant tidings. An hour before midnight, the news finally broke out that Tamil Nadu’s political icon -- J Jayalaithaa -— died due to a sudden cardiac arrest on December 5. The actor-turned-politician was one of the strongest regional leaders who made her presence felt in national politics as well. Leading the AIADMK cadre with an iron fist, Jayalalithaa, who was also known as ‘Amma’ and ‘Puratchi Thalaivi’, emerged as a cult figure. As many as 470 people allegedly died of shock after hearing of Amma's passing away, claimed AIADMK.

George Michael (June 25, 1963-December 25, 2016): A celebrity who died a tad young at age 53, due to heart failure, George Michael was one of the most celebrated pop stars of 1980s and 1990s. The irony of his passing away was that it happened on December 25 came to be his “Last Christmas”, which is also the title one of his most popular love songs. Michael, who sold over 100 million records globally, was also ranked among the world’s 40-most successful artists ever by the Billboard magazine.

Carrie Fisher (October 21, 1956, December 27, 2016): Female lead protagonist of the epic Sci-fi movie saga, Star Wars, Fisher will be remembered as Princess Leia by her fans. In the movie, Fisher plays the role of one of Rebel forces seeking to destroy the cataclysmic weapon Death Star. Star Wars went to become a cult movie defining popular culture from 1970 onwards. Fisher died at age 60 from a heart attack.