Sitaram Yechury, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), passed away on Thursday at the age of 72. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi on August 19 for treatment of a pneumonia-like chest infection.
Yechury who was a two-time Member of Parliament, was a prominent figure in Indian politics and served as a member of the CPI (M) politburo for 32 years. He took on the role of the party's General Secretary in 2015. From 2005 to 2017, he represented West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha.
Born on August 12, 1952, in Chennai, Yechury was originally named Yechury Sitarama Rao, the son of Sarveshwara Somayajalu Yechury and Kalpakam.
Yechury's passing has left a void in Indian politics, and he will be remembered for his contributions to the communist movement in India. The CPI(M) has announced that his funeral will take place on Friday.
Yechury suffered a personal tragedy in 2021, when he lost his eldest son, Ashish Yechury, a 35-year-old journalist, to COVID-19. An efficient communicator, Yechury spoke five languages, including Telugu, Bangla, Hindi, and English, and has written nine books. He leaves behind his wife, journalist Seema Chisti, the editor of The Wire. His daughter, Akhila Yechury, teaches history at the University of Edinburgh and University of St Andrews.
