LS members mourn death of former colleagues, Bhimsen Joshi

New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) The Lok Sabha today mournedthe death of classical vocalist Bhimsen Joshi, former KeralaChief Minister K Karunakaran, former colleagues and over 100people who died in a stampede while returning from the annualSabrimala pilgrimage.

The Lok Sabha met briefly after President PratibhaPatil''s address to the joint sitting of Parliament signallingthe start of the Budget Session.

Speaker Meira Kumar made obituary references to formerSpeaker Baliram Bhagat, former members Latafat Ali Khan,Prabhawati Gupta, T S Shrangare, Karunakaran and Joshi whobreathed their last during the intersession period.

Bhagat, also a former Union Ministers, who representedparliamentary constituencies in Bihar, passed away on January2 in New Delhi at the age of 89.

Khan, a member of the fourth Lok Sabha fromMuzaffarnagar, breathed his last on November 23 at the age of89 in Noida.

Gupta, a member of the eighth Lok Sabha from Moithari inBihar, died on December 10, last year in Patna at the age of82.

Karunakaran, a four-time Chief Minister of Kerala and aformer Union Minister, died on December 23 last year inThiruvananthapuram at the age of 92.

Shrangare, who represented Osmanabad Parliamentaryconstituency, died on January 11 at the age of 73.

The Lok Sabha also offered rich tributes to BhimsenJoshi, who had enthralled generations of music lovers by hismesmerising rendition of Hindustani classical music.

A renowned vocalist credited with bringing classicalmusic closer to the masses, Joshi was a recipient of the PadmaShri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and the Bharat Ratna.

Joshi passed away at the age of 89 at Pune on January 24.

The House also expressed profound sorrow on the tragicincident in which at least 102 pilgrims including women andchildren were killed in a stampede at Pulumedu in Kerala''sIdukki district.

Members observed silence for a while as a mark of respectto the departed souls.