Union Minister, Ananth Kumar passes away at 59, lost a valuable colleague says Modi

New Delhi, Nov 12: Union Minister Ananth Kumar passed away on Monday at 2 am, following complications due to cancer. He had been in the intensive care unit and was on ventilator support for the past few days.

The 59-year-old BJP leader had arrived in Bengaluru on October 20 after undergoing extensive treatment in London and New York.

The body will be taken to the National College grounds at 9 am for people to pay their last respects. The funeral will be held today itself.

Kumar who has represented the Bengaluru South parliamentary constituency six times since 1996, was admitted later to the Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Basavanagudi.

"Ananth Kumar Ji was an able administrator, who handled many ministerial portfolios and was a great asset to the BJP organisation. He worked hard to strengthen the Party in Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru and surrounding areas. He was always accessible to his constituents," Modi said.

"I spoke to his wife, Dr. Tejaswini Ji and expressed condolences on the passing away of Shri Ananth Kumar Ji. My thoughts are with his entire family, friends and supporters in this hour of grief and sadness. Om Shanti," Modi also tweeted.

President of India, Ram Nath Kovind said, "sad to hear of the passing of Union Minister and veteran parliamentarian Shri H.N. Ananth Kumar. This is a tragic loss to public life in our country&particularly for the people of Karnataka. My condolences to his family, colleagues and countless associates."

Deep sense of grief on hearing that Shri Ananth Kumar is no more with us. Served BJP all along. Bengaluru was in his head and heart, always. May God give his family the strength to bear with this loss," Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted

Ananth Kumar' s wife Tejaswini had earlier said that he was under artificial breather. She had also said that the minister was being given the best treatment for cancer but severe infection was causing concen. He was responding well to the treatment, she had said.

Union Home minister Rajnath Singh and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan had recently visited Ananth Kumar in the hospital.

Kumar was born on 22 July 1959 in Bangalore, Karnataka to H N Narayan Sastry and Girija Shastry. He graduated in faculty of Arts (B.A) from K S Arts College, Hubli affiliated to the Karnataka University and later, completed his bachelors in law (L.L.B) from J.S.S. Law College affiliated to the Karnataka University.

He was married to Dr. Tejaswini and the couple have 2 daughters - Aishwarya and Vijeta.

Since 1996 he has represented Bengaluru South constituency in the Lok Sabha. Kumar held charge of two key ministries - Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers since May 2014 and as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs since July 2016 in the Narendra Modi government.

Speculations are that in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, his wife Tejaswini may contest from the constituency.

The funeral is expected to be held today.

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