Abdullah Al Mamun, father of Rio 2016 all-around rhythmic gymnastics gold-medallist Margarita Mamun, passed away in Russia yesterday after a long battle with cancer.

News of his demise reached Kashipur village in Rajshahi -- where Mamun was born -- at around 5:30pm yesterday.  According to his relatives in Kashipur, Mamun will be buried in Russia, where he is survived by wife Anna, daughter Margarita and son Philip.

According to his relatives, Mamun had long suffered from a stomach tumour, and his cancer was diagnosed while operating on that tumour. 

Mamun , a marine engineer, would often visit Bangladesh and his village Kashipur, where his sister Dina Jahura currently resides. 

Mamun was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College after achieving his SSC from Durgapur High School and HSC from Rajshahi Government College. He lost his interest in medical education after seeing the cadaver dissections in the morgue.  Later in 1983, he went to Russia on an education scholarship and married a Russian rhythmic gymnast named Anna.

On August 20, Margarita won the gold medal for Russia, sparking celebrations in Moscow as well as in the native land of her father.