PM condoles passing away of Sharada Prasad

New Delhi, Sept 3 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Wednesday visited Kamalamma Sharada Prasad and conveyed his condolences to her and other family members on the passing away of H.Y. Sharada Prasad.

In his condolence message the Prime Minister recalled Prasad's association with the freedom struggle and his service and dedication to the country.

Dr. Singh said, "He was a man of great erudition, civility and integrity, who embodied in his multi-faceted personality the highest ideals of public service. His scholarship and thinking shaped the views and public discourse of three Prime Ministers, who he served with great distinction as Media Advisor. He was jailed during the Quit India movement and his association with the freedom struggle instilled in him his strong sense of selfless service and dedication to duty that won him his very large circle of friends and admirers.

The PM further added that "He once said that he was lucky to be born in India at a time when Mahatma Gandhi still walked the earth. He was first and foremost a civil servant, steeped in Nehruvian traditions and inspired by Gandhian values. Despite the demands on his time, Prasad was a prolific writer who wrote both in English and in Kannada. Despite his many accomplishments, his friends will always remember him as a simple man who led an extraordinary life in the service of the country. In his passing away, the country has lost a role model and an exceptional human being who left a deep impact on public life and in the world of letters."

Prasad was the media adviser to former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, died on Tuesday afternoon following a prolonged illness. He was 84. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

ANI