Former President Pranab Mukherjee Dies At 84

Former president Pranab Mukherjee died on Monday in a New Delhi hospital, where he had undergone brain surgery earlier this month.

The 84-year-old had been admitted to the hospital on 10 August, and tweeted that afternoon that he had tested positive for Covid-19 as well.

Mukherjee’s son announced the news on Twitter on Monday evening:

A bulletin issued by the Army Hospital Research And Referral had said that there was a “decline” in Mukherjee’s condition since Sunday.

“He is in septic shock due to his lung infection and is being managed by team of specialists. He continues to be in deep coma and on ventilator support,” the statement had said.

The veteran Congress leader was India’s president for five years, from 2012 to 2017. He held several ministerial portfolios during his political tenure, and was in charge of the Union finance ministry from 2009 to 2012, in the Manmohan Singh -led United Progressive Alliance government, before he resigned and became the President. 

Mukherjee, who has written eight books, was awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 2019. He was widely regarded as a troubleshooter for the Congress when he was active in politics.