FP Staff • September 12, 2024, 16:33:53 IST
Known for his articulate and argumentative speeches and debates, Sitaram Yechury had friends from all spectrums of Indian politics. Rooted in Marxist political ideology, Yechury was pragmatic enough to stitch a partnership with the Congress for a stable central government
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CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has died after prolonged illness (Photo: PTI)
Veteran Marxist and affable across political spectrum in India, Sitaram Yechury, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI-M, general secretary passed away on Thursday (September 12) at the age of 72. The steadfast CPM leader was undergoing treatment at Delhi’s AIIMS for a critical respiratory condition, his party said in a release on Tuesday (September 10). The 72-year-old leader developed an acute respiratory tract infection in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU).
Yechury was first hospitalised at AIIMS on August 19 for the treatment of a chest infection resembling pneumonia. Three days later, on August 22, Yechury posted a six-minute video on social media from the hospital, expressing his condolences to former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya, who passed away on August 8.
The CPM general secretary since 2015, Yechury never assumed a role in any government though he came close to becoming a Union minister in 2004, when his party-led Left Front collaborated with the Congress-led coalition at the Centre. But his party ultimately decided to extend outside support to the first Manmohan Singh government (2004-09). The Left Front, however, withdrew support to the government in 2008 over the India-US nuclear deal.
The Quint
Remembering Sitaram Yechury
“Sita”, as he was known to friends, left an indelible mark on Indian politics.
Published: 12 Sep 2024, 6:40 PM IST
4 min read
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The news that Sitaram Yechury, the stalwart General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)], has succumbed to a respiratory infection has left his many friends and admirers in shock.
I did not know Sitaram at our shared alma mater, St Stephen’s College in Delhi University, where he was some three years senior to me. But once we met during my contest for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations (in which his party also endorsed my candidacy), he became a friend and remained one till his passing.
“Sita”, as he was known to friends, left an indelible mark on Indian politics.
Born on August 12, 1952, in Chennai, Yechury’s journey from a student leader to the General Secretary of CPI (M) is a testament to his dedication and leadership. Born to Sarveswara and Kalpakam Yechury, natives of Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, he spent his early years in Hyderabad before moving to Delhi University in 1969 during the campus disturbances of the Telangana movement.
Sitaram Yechury excelled academically, securing the All-India first rank in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Higher Secondary Examination. He pursued his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and later completed his Master’s degree in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
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It was JNU that sealed his political direction when in 1974 he joined the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of CPI (M). His leadership skills quickly came to the fore, and he was elected as the President of the JNU Students’ Union three times in 1977 and 1978. Yechury’s political journey was set when he went underground during the Emergency but was eventually arrested.
After the Emergency, Sita’s rise within CPI (M) was swift. He became a member of the Central Committee in 1984 and was elected to the Politburo in 1992. His strategic acumen, outgoing personality and oratory skills made him a key figure in the party.
In 2005, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha by his comrades in West Bengal and served until 2017, when despite the desire of many of his allies to see him return, his parliamentary career ended at the behest of his party.
When I met him in 2006, he was already the de facto co-leader to his JNU comrade Prakash Karat (they met me together at the party headquarters when the UPA government asked me to introduce myself to them as India’s official candidate at the UN).
In 2015, Yechury succeeded Karat as the General Secretary of CPI (M). Under his leadership, the party navigated through challenging times, including electoral setbacks in the CPI (M)’s former bastions of Bengal and Tripura, and mounting internal dissent.
Yechury, an amiable pragmatist himself, was known for his gregarious manner and engaging style; there was little doubt where he stood on efforts to build alliances with other opposition parties to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), though his ideological flexibility was not always supported by the hardliners in his party.
There is no doubt that Sitaram Yechury’s contributions to Indian politics extend well beyond his party. I got a personal taste of his expansive worldview and openness to non-ideological heresies during the years we both served as Vice-Presidents of the Indian Council of World Affairs, representing our respective Houses of Parliament on that internationalist body.
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He played a crucial role during the UPA government’s first term, where he and the Left influenced key policy decisions and won the confidence of UPA Convenor Sonia Gandhi. His commitment to social justice, secularism, and workers’ rights has left a lasting legacy, but it is his affable manner, ready wit and infectious smile that will long be remembered.
Whether you agreed with him ideologically or not, Sitaram Yechury was impossible not to like. His kind words to friends uttered in the rasping voice that betrayed a lifetime’s chain-smoking, endeared him to everyone in Parliament and beyond. His life and career were a reflection of his unwavering commitment to his principles and his party.
His journey from a student leader to a national political figure is an inspiration to many. As a leader, he has left behind a legacy of resilience, dedication, and relentless pursuit of social justice, conducted with decency, warmth and integrity.
Three years ago, I reached out to Sitaram to condole the tragic and premature demise of his son Ashish, due to COVID-19. Little did I realise that his own lungs would give way just three years later.
Sita leaves behind his brilliant journalist wife, Seema Chishti, and his daughter, Akhila. Yechury’s personal experiences, including the loss of his son, deeply influenced his perspectives and his approach to politics and led to his emphasis on empathy and resilience.
His life story is not just one of political achievements but also of personal strength and commitment to his values. He will be much missed across the political spectrum.
(Former UN Under-Secretary-General, Shashi Tharoor is a Congress MP and an author. He can be reached @ShashiTharoor.)
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Topics: Sitaram Yechury Obituary
Sitaram Yechury, veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, dies at 72
He was being treated for an acute respiratory tract infection at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.
5 hours agoUpdated 2 hours ago
Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury passed away on Thursday. He was 72. | Pinarayi Vijayan/X
Sitaram Yechury, a veteran leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), passed away after a prolonged illness a little after 3 pm on Thursday. He was 72 years old.
Yechury was being treated for an acute respiratory tract infection at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. He was admitted to the intensive care unit on August 19 with pneumonia.
Yechury is survived by his wife Seema Chishti, son Danish, daughter Akhila and brother Shankar. His eldest son Ashish Yechury died of Covid-19 in 2021.
In recent days, he had been receiving respiratory support and care from a multidisciplinary team of doctors.
In a statement, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences said he had donated his body to science.
Yechury’s last address to the public came on August 22 in the form of a video message that he recorded from hospital to pay tribute to his party colleague and former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who passed away on August 8, reported The Hindu.
Yechury had succeeded Prakash Karat as the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 2015.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) expressed “profound grief” at Yechury’s passing.
“The untimely demise of Sitaram Yechury at this crucial juncture in our national politics is a big blow to the CPI(M) and a grievous loss for the Left, democratic and secular forces,” the party said in a statement.
It added: “The Polit Bureau pays respectful homage to our beloved colleague and dips the red banner in his memory. The Polit Bureau calls upon all Party ranks to unite and work harder to advance the struggle for an exploitation-free society. This is the best tribute that can be paid to him.”
Yechury was born on August 12, 1952, in Chennai.
During his college years, he was active in student politics. At Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, he became an influential leader of the Students’ Federation of India.
“Students’ Federation of India dips its banner in honour of our beloved comrade,” the group wrote on X.
Yechury was a Rajya Sabha MP for 12 years from 2005 to 2017.
He also played a key role in stitching together the Opposition INDIA bloc ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by the passing away of Yechury.
“He was a leading light of the Left and was known for his ability to connect across the political spectrum,” Modi said on social media. “He also made a mark as an effective parliamentarian. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti.”
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Yechury’s death “leaves an irreplaceable void in the Communist movement and people’s struggles”.
“I cherish the moments we shared and his unmatched ideological clarity, strategic brilliance, and dedication to the revolutionary cause,” Vijayan, a CPI(M) leader, wrote. “Amid rising inequality and threats to secular and constitutional ideals, his legacy will inspire us to keep fighting for a just India.”
BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that he was pained by the passing of Yechury.
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“In his long years in public life, he distinguished himself as a seasoned parliamentarian who was known for his knowledge and articulation,” Singh wrote on X. “He was also my friend with whom I had several interactions. I will always recall my interactions with him. Condolences to his bereaved family and supporters. Om Shanti!”
“Sitaram Yechury ji was a friend,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on social media. “A protector of the ‘Idea of India’ with a deep understanding of our country. I will miss the long discussions we used to have. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and followers in this hour of grief.”
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also extended his condolences. He described Yechury as a humble leader “who chartered the unique territory of balancing personal equations with unflinching political ideologies”.
Yechury’s death is “great loss for all the liberal forces, for he was the collective conscience keeper of progressives”, Kharge said.
D Raja, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India, also expressed his grief at the death of Yechury. “Sitaram was one of the most outstanding leaders of the Left and communist movement in contemporary times,” Raja wrote on X.
Raja recalled his decades-long collaboration with Yechury that spanned student movements, the United Front coalition, the United Progressive Alliance government and fostering unity among Left and democratic forces.
“Sitaram Yechury was a lucid writer, able parliamentarian and a capable leader,” Raja said. “His loss will be felt in Left and democratic circles. My heartfelt tributes to Comrade Sitaram. My condolences to his family and the CPI(M).”
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Sitaram Yechury Ji,” wrote BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari. “His contributions to public life will always be remembered. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. Om Shanti.”
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described Yechury as a “very fine human being, a multilingual bibliophile, an unrepentant Marxist with a pragmatic streak”.
He said that Yechury was “admired for the strength of his convictions and for his most engaging personality”.
Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiran Rijiju also said that he was saddened by the demise of the CPI(M) leader. “We had many years of working relations in the Parliament,” he wrote on X. “Extending my deepest condolences to his family, colleagues and admirers.”
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