Sitaram Yechury, the National General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), passed away earlier today after battling health complications. He had been undergoing treatment at AIIMS, Delhi, where he was admitted on August 19 due to a severe respiratory condition. Despite being placed on a ventilator, his health deteriorated, and he breathed his last this afternoon, leaving the left-wing political community in mourning.
Yechury was a stalwart in Indian politics, known for his unwavering commitment to leftist ideology. Born on August 12, 1952, in Madras, he excelled academically, securing the top rank in CBSE exams and completing his BA in Economics at St. Stephen’s College, followed by an MA in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). His political journey began in 1974 when he joined the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), rising through the ranks to serve as its president in 1978.
Yechury’s influence extended to national politics, where he held key positions within CPI(M). In 1999, he was inducted into the Politburo, the party’s highest decision-making body, and was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Bengal in 2005. His death marks the end of an era for the CPI(M) and leaves a significant void in India’s left-wing politics.