Former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee Dead at 84
The former president of India Pranab Mukherjee passed away at the age of 84 after suffering from septic shock and lung infection post brain surgery held mid-August at the Army Research & Referral Hospital in New Delhi, India.
Pranab Mukherjee was the 13th president of the Republic of India and served in office from 2012 to 2017. He was born on December 11th, 1935 and passed away at the age of 84 on August 31st, 2020. He served as a Parliament Member 7 times, and as a Cabinet Member for 3 Prime Ministers before serving as the president. In 2017, he announced that he would be retiring from politics due to health complications as well as old age.
Mukherjee received 2 national awards and 3 international honours during his lifetime including the Indian Padma Vibhushan in 2008, which is second-highest order of civilian awards for exceptional services in any field without distinction of position, race, or sex. After that in 2019, he received the Indian Bharat Ratna, the highest order of civilian awards for exceptional service or performance without any distinctions.
Mukherjee’s son, Abhijit Mukherjee announced his passing via a tweet posted yesterday evening:
With a Heavy Heart , this is to inform you that my father Shri #PranabMukherjee has just passed away inspite of the best efforts of Doctors of RR Hospital & prayers ,duas & prarthanas from people throughout India !
— Abhijit Mukherjee (@ABHIJIT_LS) August 31, 2020
I thank all of You 🙏
The former president of India was cremated today with state honours at the Lodhi Road crematorium after political leaders including the President Ram Nath Kovind, VP Venkaiah Naidu, and PM Narendra Modi had paid their final respects at his national capital residence.
Soon after the announcement from his son, messages and tweets of condolences began rolling in for the family and the country by political leaders from all across the world.
Credit: Reuters
