Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Uttarakhand Manorama Dobriyal Sharma died following a brief illness at Medanta hospital, Gurgaon on Wednesday. She was 59 and is survived by husband and three sons. Manorama had undergone a liver transplantation surgery on February 13 at Gurgaon Artemis Hospital, where she passed away on Wednesday morning around 10.30 am. Governor, Chief Minister and leaders from across the spectrum condoled the death of the RS MP from the State.
As her condition drastically deteriorated on Tuesday evening, she was kept on ventilator. However, she finally succumbed on Wednesday morning, informed Surendra Kumar, media in-charge of the Chief Minister Harish Rawat. Her body is being brought to Dehradun by this evening and will be cremated on Thursday.
Kumar further said that she had sustained injury in her liver with police charging baton when she was spearheading the statehood movement for Uttarakhand during 1994-96. Initially, she ignored the injury. However, later, the wound turned into a tumor. Things worsening, the doctor attending her asked her to go for liver transplantation.
Her nephew lovy Bonthiyal (son of her sister) donated his liver to her on February 13. It seems the body did not respond to the transplanted liver. Alarmed over her condition turning critical, the doctor shifted her on ventilator. However, her condition did not improve and, eventually, she died on February 18, Kumar said.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat and Governor KK Paul have expressed grief over the untimely demise of the Congress leader. She was a champion for the cause of the women, fighting for them and with them zealously, the CM said.
In his condolence message, the Governor KK Paul described her as a hard working, efficient and popular leader and social activist. Her death was an irrecoverable loss in the political and social spheres, he said.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat has described Rajya Sabha MP Manorama Dobriyal Sharma’s death as a great loss for the State and the Congress. Her death was also a personal loss for him, he said.
She had worked tirelessly for the State during her tenure as the Mayor of Dehradun. She had successfully organised an International Council of Mayors. Her contribution as a member of the Rajya Sabha was worthy of praise too. She had raised important issues related to Uttarakhand.
Paying tribute to the departed leader at a condolence meeting held at the Congress office in Dehradun on Wednesday, Uttarakhand Congress Committee president Kishore Upadhyaya said that the death amounts to a great loss for the party as well as the State. Her contribution to the party was monumental.
She kept on pitching in strongly for the cause of women empowerment. She was always in the lead when it came to fighting for the cause of the down-trodden, he said. Being the first mayor of Dehradun, she had consistently championed the cause of the unprivileged. When the statehood movement was raging on, she had facilitated the formation of a women wing to further the cause. She was in the thick of the struggle for statehood, untiringly upholding the cause of the Devbhoomi having its separate identity, the Congress leader said.