Pranab Mukherjee dies at 84
Pranab Mukherjee first became the general secretary of the Congress in 1998. He was a member of the Congress Working Committee for 23 years. For a brief period he was also given the responsibility to head the West Bengal unit of the Party.
Mukherjee worked under three Prime Ministers – Indira Gandhi, Narasimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh. He is the only finance minister to have presented budgets both before the 1991 reforms in the license-permit raj regime as well after the 1991 economic reforms. He took bold decisions after the global economic crisis of 2008 which helped shield the Indian economy. As commerce minister in 1993, Pranabda championed the cause of trade liberalisation.
"Sad to hear that former President Shri Pranab Mukherjee is no more. His demise is passing of an era. A colossus in public life, he served Mother India with the spirit of a sage. The nation mourns losing one of its worthiest sons. Condolences to his family, friends & all citizens. Endowed with perspicacity and wisdom, Bharat Ratna Shri Mukherjee combined tradition and modernity. In his 5 decades long illustrious public life, he remained rooted to the ground irrespective of the exalted offices he held. He endeared himself to people across the political spectrum," President Ram Nath Kovind said in a message.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “India grieves the passing away of Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee. He has left an indelible mark on the development trajectory of our nation. A scholar par excellence, a towering statesman, he was admired across the political spectrum & by all sections of society."
US President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday condoled the death of former president Pranab Mukherjee, terming him a "great leader" whose "visionary leadership" helped drive India's rise as a global power and paved the way for a stronger US-India partnership. Mukherjee died on Monday evening following a 21-day battle with multiple ailments. He was 84.
"I was saddened to learn of the passing of India's former President, Pranab Mukherjee," Trump tweeted. "I send my condolences to his family and the people of India as they grieve the loss of a great leader," he said.
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The ashes of former President Pranab Mukherjee were immersed in the Ganga at Har ki Pauri here late on Tuesday evening by his son Abhijit Mukherjee. Before the immersion of the ashes, a ritual was performed in front of a framed picture of the former President in the presence of Ganga Sabha chief Pradeep Jha, general secretary Tanmay Vashishtha and sabhapati Krishna Kumar Sharma.
Congress leaders Satpal Brahmachari, Sanjay Agrawal and Sanjay Paliwal were also present. Pranab Mukherjee passed away on Monday at the Army Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi at the age of 84. He was cremated on Tuesday with full state honours.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condoled the death of former President Pranab Mukherjee, saying, "Saddened to hear of passing of former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, whose visionary leadership was instrumental in bringing United States & India closer together. We extend our deepest condolences to people of India during this difficult time."
An oil portrait of former president Pranab Mukherjee graced the wooden chair, on which he would sit and chant shlokas at his ancestral temple in Birbhum during Durga Puja, as scores of people lined up to offer floral tributes and light candles in memory of their beloved 'Poltu da'.
Grief-stricken neighbours and family members, who had been holding yagnas for Mukherjee's recovery over the past three weeks, milled around his residence 'Kamada Kinkar Bhavan' at Miriti village on Tuesday, most of them recounting how the statesman touched their lives in one way or the other.
"The village has lost its guardian," Bipattaran Mukhopadhyay, the family priest, said, standing in front of the temple, inside which stood the half-done clay idols of Goddess Durga and her children, work for which started on Rath Yatra, just like every year. (PTI)
Noting that many people could not attend the cremation of Pranab Mukherjee because of the COVID-19 situation, his son Abhijit Mukherjee on Tuesday said the family would have considered taking the mortal remains of the former president to West Bengal for the last rites if restrictions were not in place.
Abhijeet said the cremation of the former president could not be attended by many because of the COVID-19 situation. "We would have considered taking his mortal remains for last rites to West Bengal where our relatives and many who are associated with our family live," he said.
Some members of Mukherjee's family and relatives paid their last respects clad in PPE kits while conforming to COVID-19 safeguards at the Lodhi Road electric crematorium. (PTI)
The Union Cabinet on Tuesday condoled the demise of former President Pranab Mukherjee and said the country has lost a distinguished leader and an outstanding parliamentarian. The Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also observed silence for two minutes in the memory of Mukherjee.
"The Cabinet expresses profound sorrow at the sad demise of Shri Pranab Mukherjee, former President of India. In his passing away, the country has lost a distinguished leader and an outstanding parliamentarian," the Cabinet said in a resolution.
The Cabinet said Mukherjee, the 13th President of India, was a man of unparalleled experience in governance who served as the country's Foreign, Defence, Commerce and Finance Minister. (PTI)
Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden has condoled the death of former India President Pranab Mukherjee, saying he believed deeply in the importance of India and the US tackling global challenges together. "President Shri Pranab Mukherjee was a devout public servant who believed deeply in the importance of our two nations tackling global challenges together. Jill and I are saddened to hear of his passing - our prayers go out to his loved ones and the Indian people," Biden said on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets pictures of himself paying respects to former president Pranab Mukherjee. "Paid tributes to respected Shri Pranab Mukherjee. He would be remembered by generations for his efforts towards India's progress," he says.
Former President Pranab Mukherjee laid to rest with full military honours at Lodhi crematorium in New Delhi.
Hearse carrying Pranab Mukherjee's body reaches Lodhi road crematorium; family, relatives accompany in PPE kits.
In a statement, the Chinese foreign ministry paid tribute to former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee, saying he made a positive contribution to India-China relations. "Pranab Mukherjee was a veteran statesman of India. In his 50 years in politics, he made positive contribution to China-India relations. It's a heavy loss to China-India friendship, and to India. We express condolences over his death and extend our sympathies," the statement read, according to ANI.
Former president Pranab Mukherjee's last rites were performed at Lodhi Road crematorium in New Delhi this afternoon.
The Indian national flag flies at half mast at the Parliament building on Tuesday. India is observing a seven-day mourning period for former president Pranab Mukherjee. (PTI Photo: Vijay Verma)
Neerja Chowdhury writes in an opinion column in The Indian Express: "Pranabda was a stickler for protocol. He did not like it when an editor remarked that there was no ashtray on his table. He ticked off a leading TV anchor, on camera, for asking questions in a raised voice. He was, after all, speaking to the former President of India who deserved courtesy. The diminutive man was conscious of his political stature; Indira Gandhi had told him that “political standing must never be compromised”.
India will remember Pranabda for his contribution as a minister heading virtually every important ministry. He will also be remembered as a leader who saw consensus as the way to run a country as heterogeneous as India, and believed in holding conversations across the political divide." Read her column here
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays his last respects to former president of India Pranab Mukherjee. Watch:
Here are some pictures of leaders paying their last respects to former president Pranab Mukherjee. Mukherjee's last rites will be performed at the Lodi Road crematorium in New Delhi at 2 pm.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden Tuesday paid tribute to former president Pranab Mukherjee, describing him as among India's "most distinguished statesmen and scholars". He said, "President Shri Pranab Mukherjee was a devout public servant who believed deeply in the importance of our two nations tackling global challenges together. Jill and I are saddened to hear of his passing - our prayers go out to his loved ones and the Indian people.
"He'll go down in history among India's most distinguished statesmen and scholars, and his many visits to Washington, everything he did for the relationship, played an instrumental role in expanding this US-India relationship, both in defence and external affairs when he was the minister," Biden added, speaking at the virtual India-US Leadership Summit organised by the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF).
Pranab Mukherjee’s eventful tenure as Finance Minister was dotted by navigating the Indian economy in the aftermath of the global financial crisis through massive doses of fiscal stimulus and introduction of “retrospective” tax laws that faced intense criticism. During the span of his career in the Congress and UPA regimes, Mukherjee handled several important economic portfolios of finance, commerce, shipping and industries ministries. A look back
Pranab Mukherjee was the quintessential politician who knew the importance of events and tasks at hand, and could carry them out effortlessly. He was the UPA’s point person of all things important — governance and politics. Mukherjee was key to almost every important decision in the UPA regime, especially when it came to foreign policy matters. Shubhajit Roy writes on his interaction with Mukherjee, primarily during his days as External Affairs Minister.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday declared seven-day mourning following the demise of former president Pranab Mukherjee, an official spokesman said. He said the National flag shall fly at half-mast during the mourning period on all buildings and places in the Union Territory where it is flown regularly, and there will be no official entertainment
Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and chairman of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda have expressed their condolences on the demise of Pranab Mukherjee. Nepal has lost a good friend, President Bhandari tweeted. Oli expressed heartfelt condolences to the people of India and to the bereaved family. "We remember his contributions in strengthening Nepal-India relations in different capacities of his public life," Oli said. Prachanda said that South Asia has lost an intellectual leader. PTI
Bangladesh has had a special relationship with former President Pranab Mukherjee. As he passed away on Monday, the Bangladesh government declared a one-day national mourning on Wednesday — September 2. The Bangladesh national flag will be flown half-mast that day. There are plans for a high-level participation from Bangladesh as well, especially since Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina had a personal rapport with Mukherjee.
Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed sorrow over the demise of former president Pranab Mukherjee, describing him as a "true friend" and recalling his "outstanding and unforgettable" contributions to the country's 1971 Liberation War. "His demise has caused an irreparable loss to the political arena of the sub-continent," Hamid said.
Hasina called Mukherjee a "true friend" of Bangladesh and a guardian-like figure to her family. "The news of Mr Pranab Mukherjee's demise deeply saddened her . . . she became emotional and nostalgic as she reminisced her many memories with him," state-run BSS reported quoting the premier's press secretary Ihsanul Karim.
"He (Pranab) endeared himself to people across the political gamut. In his passing India has lost one of its greatest leaders. The country mourns losing one if its worthiest sons who remained rooted to the ground irrespective of the high offices held," Senior Congress Mallikarjun Kharge said.
"An avid reader of admirable intellect he will be missed by one and all alike eternally," he added.
Pranab Mukherjee’s last rites will be held tomorrow at the Lodi Road crematorium in New Delhi tomorrow at 2 pm.
Terming former President Pranab Mukherjee’s death “an irreparable loss to the Sangh Parivar”, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday said the veteran Congress leader was like a guide to RSS.
“(Pranab) Mukherjee was like a guide to RSS and affectionate towards us; his death an irreparable loss to Sangh,” Bhagwat was quoted by PTI as saying.
Pranab Mukherjee, a Congress loyalist, who passed away on Monday, was attacked by the party itself in 2018 for attending the RSS’ Tritiya Varsh Training programme in the headquarters in Nagpur. The former President had become a subject of criticism for his party leaders ever since news about him, accepting the invitation to the RSS event, surfaced. The party had said images of the former president at the RSS headquarters had anguished millions of party workers and those who believe in pluralism and diversity of the Indian republic.
Former President and Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee passed away Monday at the Army Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi where he had undergone surgery earlier this month. He was 84.
Probably no Indian politician can match Mukherjee’s enviable record as a long-distance runner. He had a ringside view of Indian politics for some five decades, though in his four-part memoir, he hid more secrets than he revealed of his eventful life.
He was the Congress party’s Man for All Seasons, whose services were often required for crisis management because of his intimate knowledge of both government and the party. Mukherjee’s career started as a junior minister in Indira Gandhi government in the 1970s and ended when he demitted office as President of India in 2017. Click here to read more.
Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi Monday in a letter to Pranab Mukherjee's daughter said that the former president was an "integral and prominent part of national life, Congress party and the central government for over five decades".
In a letter to Sharmistha Mukherjee, Gandhi wrote: "He brought distinction to every post he held, he established a genuine rapport with colleagues across the political spectrum, and he served our country with the utmost dedication."
Gandhi said that Pranab Mukherjee's life over the past 50 years mirrored 50 years of the history of India, for he played a crucial role both in shaping the course of events as well actively participating in them.
"The last time I shared a stage with Pranab Mukherjee, our respected Pranab-da, was just a few months ago. He seemed well and spoke at length in his inimitable style. The loss for so many of us is personal as well as political. A statesman and guide is no more," Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday condoled the death of former president Pranab Mukherjee, saying the country has lost a statesman.
“I learnt with profound grief the passing away of former President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee. He was a statesman and an illustrious son of India, who rose from humble beginnings to occupy the country’s highest constitutional position through hard work, discipline and dedication," Naidu said in a statement.
"Shri Pranab Mukherjee brought dignity and decorum to every post held by him during his long and distinguished public service. Known for his administrative acumen and deep understanding of India’s parliamentary system, he held several important positions including Finance Minister, Defence Minister, External Affairs Minister and Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission. As President, he encouraged people to participate in innovative programmes at Rashtrapati Bhavan," he said.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said that Pranab Mukherjee kept national interest supreme and did not believe in political untouchability. "Mukherjee was like a guide to RSS and affectionate towards us; his death irreparable loss to Sangh," Bhagwat was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
A seven-day state mourning will be observed throughout the country from 31 August to 6 September in view of the demise of former President Pranab Mukherjee.
Pranab Mukherjee, a quintessential politician who rose to become the President of India after a remarkable political career spanning five decades, passed away Monday. A conservative politician and a self-styled constitutional purist with unmatched experience in government and the fine art of statecraft, Mukherjee was never a mass leader but had commanded the unrivalled respect and admiration of his peers across the political divide.
An erudite and astute politician, 84-year-old Mukherjee – fondly called Pranab da by his colleagues – was known for his fine intellect, sharp memory and short temper. Admitted to the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital on August 10, Mukherjee underwent a critical brain surgery to remove a clot which he suffered from a fall at his home a day before. He developed a lung infection subsequently and slipped into a coma. His condition worsened Monday morning. Click here to read more.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also condoled the death of former President Pranab Mukherjee, saying the Mother India has lost her "virtuous and devoted son".
"Deeply saddened to hear that former president Shri Pranab Mukherjee is no more. Today, mother India has lost he virtuous and devoted son. I pray to God for peace to the departed soul and strength to the family to bear this profound sorrow," Chouhan said in a tweet.
The Indian flag is flown at half-mast at the Rashtrapati Bhavan as a mark of respect for former president Pranab Mukherjee.
Remembering Pranab Mukherjee as an “outstanding Parliamentarian” and a “towering statesman”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said the former President of India, who passed away at 84, has left an indelible mark by his contributions in the sphere of development of India.
Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote, “India grieves the passing away of Bharat Ratna Shri Pranab Mukherjee. He has left an indelible mark on the development trajectory of our nation. A scholar par excellence, a towering statesman, he was admired across the political spectrum and by all sections of society.”
Sharing multiple pictures of himself with the former President, PM Modi wrote that during Mukherjee’s political career that spanned decades, he made long-lasting contributions in key economic and strategic ministries. “He was an outstanding Parliamentarian, always well-prepared, extremely articulate as well as witty,” he said.
In his long political career, Mukherjee served as an MP seven times. Before becoming the President of India in 2012, he had at different points of time been the chief whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party, and an important minister in various Cabinets.
Mukherjee almost became the Prime Minister of India twice – after the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984, and after Sonia Gandhi refused the top post in 2004. While that did not happen, Mukherjee continued to serve the Congress party and government in other roles.
For a brief period, he did quit the Congress to start his own party, the Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress (RSC), in West Bengal in 1986. However, three years later, the party merged with the Congress after Rajiv Gandhi and Mukherjee arrived at a compromise.
Former president Pranab Mukherjee passed away on Monday at the age of 84. Here are some of his pictures from the Express archives.
Click here to see more photos.
"With great sadness, the nation receives the news of the unfortunate demise of our former President Shri Pranab Mukherjee. I join the country in paying homage to him," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said.
Home Minister Amit Shah offered his condolences. "Pranab Da's life will always be cherished for his impeccable service and indelible contribution to our motherland. His demise has left a huge void in Indian polity," Shah said in a tweet. "My sincerest condolences are with his family and followers on this irreparable loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," he added.
In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "India grieves the passing away of Bharat Ratna Shri Pranab Mukherjee. He has left an indelible mark on the development trajectory of our nation."
"A scholar par excellence, a towering statesman, he was admired across the political spectrum and by all sections of society," Modi added.
"Endowed with perspicacity and wisdom, Bharat Ratna Shri Mukherjee combined tradition and modernity. In his 5 decade long illustrious public life, he remained rooted to the ground irrespective of the exalted offices he held," President Ram Nath Kovind said in a tweet.
Mukherjee endeared himself to people across the political spectrum, he added.
"Sad to hear that former President Shri Pranab Mukherjee is no more. His demise is passing of an era. A colossus in public life, he served Mother India with the spirit of a sage. The nation mourns losing one of its worthiest sons. Condolences to his family, friends & all citizens," President Ram Nath Kovind said in a tweet.
Former president Pranab Mukherjee passed away on Monday. He was 84.
