Former Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh Governor V S Ramadevi, the only woman to dead the Election Commission, died here today following cardiac arrest, family sources said.
79 year-old Ramadevi was not suffering from any ailment and was leading an active life despite her old age, the sources said."In fact, she had lunch and spoke to some relatives over the phone before she suffered a massive cardiac arrest", they said.
Born on March 15, 1934, Ramadevi was the Chief Election Commissioner of India from November 26, 1990 to December 11, 1990. She was the only woman who became the CEC. She was succeeded by T N Sheshan.
She had served as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh from July 26, 1997 to December 1, 1999 and as the Governor of Karnataka from December 2, 1999 to May 20, 2002.
Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah expressed "shock" over the demise of Ramadevi, saying it was a "irreparable loss to the nation"."I am deeply shocked and grieved to hear about the sudden demise of V S Ramadevi. he is known for her acumen and had the pride of being the first woman Governor of Karnataka and the first woman to occupy the post of Chief Election Commissioner", Rosaiah said in a Raj Bhavan release.
Praising the late Ramadevi as a "multifaceted personality and an able administrator", Rosaiah said, "she had dedicated herself to the cause of women and differently abled and n spreading legal awareness among the weaker sections of the society".
