President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed condolence on the demise of CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury.
The President said Yechury, a committed ideologue, won friends cutting across the party lines. “Saddened to learn about the demise of CPI (M) General Secretary Shri Sitaram Yechury. First as a student leader and then in national politics and as a parliamentarian, he had a distinct and influential voice. Though a committed ideologue, he won friends cutting across the party lines. My heartfelt condolences to his family and colleagues,” said Murmu.
Modi said Yechury was a leading light of the Left known for his ability to connect across the political spectrum. “Saddened by the passing away of Shri Sitaram Yechury ji. He was a leading light of the Left and was known for his ability to connect across the political spectrum,” Modi said in a post on X. “He also made a mark as an effective parliamentarian. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti,” the Prime Minister said.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that Yechury was a protector of the idea of India with a deep understanding of the country. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge condoled Yechury’s demise and said he was an excellent parliamentarian and an outstanding intellectual who served the people of India with pragmatism blended with idealism.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Yechury death is a loss to national politics. “Sad to know that Sitaram Yechury has passed away. I knew the veteran parliamentarian that he was and his demise will be a loss for national politics. I express my condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” she posted on X.
Yechury’s family has donated his body to AIIMS for teaching and research purposes, the hospital said in a statement. “It is with profound grief that we announce the passing away of CPI(M) General Secretary, our beloved Comrade Sitaram Yechury, at 3.03 pm today, 12th September, at the AIIMS, New Delhi. He was suffering from a respiratory tract infection which developed complications,” CPI(M) said in a post on X.
“We thank the doctors, nursing staff and the Director of the Institute for the excellent treatment and care extended to Comrade Yechury. Details of public viewing and homage will be informed,” the CPI(M) said.
In a statement, the CPI(M) said Yechury’s body will be kept at the party headquarters here between 11 am and 3 pm on Saturday for public viewing and paying homage. Subsequently, the body will be taken to AIIMS, where it will be donated for medical research, according to his wishes.
Yechury was admitted to AIIMS on August 19 for treatment of a pneumonia-like chest infection. He was critical and on oxygen support. Doctors said he had a fungal infection in his lungs. Yechury is survived by his wife Seema Chishti, an editor with news portal The Wire.
He has three children -- two sons and a daughter. One of his sons Ashish Yechury passed away due to Covid-19 in 2021.
His daughter Akhila Yechury teaches at the University of Edinburgh and University of St Andrews.
Son Danish working in UK. Yechury was earlier married to Indrani Mazumdar. The leader, who started from the student’s union of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as a member of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and went on to become a member of the Central Committee of the CPI(M) in 1984, got elected to the Politburo in 1992.
He served as a Rajya Sabha MP for 12 years, from 2005 to 2017. He became the fifth General Secretary of the CPI(M) at the 21st party congress in Visakhapatnam on April 19, 2015, and took over from Prakash Karat. He also played a significant role in the joint opposition’s INDIA bloc.
