Senior CPI(M) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury passed away on Thursday at the age of 72.
Yechury was admitted to AIIMS Hospital in New Delhi on August 19 due to a lung infection. Despite continuous treatment by a team of doctors, his condition remained critical, and he could not be saved.
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His family has donated his body to AIIMS Hospital for research purposes.
He is survived by his wife Seema Chisti (Senior Journalist), son Danish, and daughter Akhila. His elder son, Ashish Yechury, had passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yechury was the first in his family to enter politics. His father, Sarveshwara Yechury, was an engineer in a government department, and his mother, Kalpakam Yechury, was a government employee.
Sitaram Yechury was born on August 12, 1952, in Andhra Pradesh. He completed his early education in Hyderabad. At the age of 17, he became involved in political protests. In 1969, he moved to Delhi due to a major political movement advocating for separate statehood for the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. He enrolled at Presidents Estate School in Delhi, where he topped CBSE Higher Secondary Examination.
He graduated in Economics from the prestigious St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, securing first rank in the college. He then pursued an M.A. in Economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where he also ranked first. Following this, he enrolled for a Ph.D. at JNU. Along with his studies, he became involved in student politics and joined the CPI(M)’s student wing, SFI. While at JNU, Yechury actively opposed the Emergency, which forced him to go underground before being arrested later.
Yechury, who excelled academically, also made his mark in politics. He quickly rose through the ranks of SFI, becoming its top leader. He was elected president of the JNU Students’ Union three times in two years and became the national joint secretary and later national president of SFI in 1978. Yechury was the first SFI president who neither hailed from Kerala nor Bengal. During his time, JNU became a stronghold of left-wing politics.
The year 1978 was pivotal in his political career when he read out a chargesheet against Indira Gandhi at JNU and demanded her resignation from the position of Chancellor.
After his involvement in student politics, Yechury joined the CPI(M) and quickly ascended to top positions in the party. He was elected the party’s general secretary for the first time in 2015 and held the position until his demise.
Yechury played a crucial role in the CPI(M) becoming a key ally in the United Front government in 1996 and the UPA government in 2004. He served as a Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal from 2005 to 2017 and was awarded the Best Parliamentarian Award in 2017.
For nearly two decades, Yechury edited the CPI(M)’s weekly publication People’s Democracy and authored two books: What is Hindu Rashtra? and Communism vs Secularism.
His demise has been termed a great loss by the party. In a tribute, the CPI(M) wrote, “At a time of political challenges, his passing is a major blow to the party and a profound loss for leftist, democratic, and secular forces.”
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi remembered Yechury as a guardian of India’s ideals, writing on his social media account, “I will miss our long discussions. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and followers.”
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his grief, saying, “I am saddened by the passing of CPI(M) General Secretary and former Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury. In his long public life, he established himself as an experienced parliamentarian known for his knowledge and articulation. He was also a friend, and I will always remember our conversations.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on her social media account, “I am deeply saddened to hear of Sitaram Yechury’s passing. He was an experienced MP, and his loss will be felt by national politics.”
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