BENGALURU: Union minister and senior BJP leader HN Ananth Kumar passed away in the wee hours of Monday. Condolences poured in for the senior minister in the Narendra Modi government from cabinet colleagues and political opponents alike. Kumar had been battling lung cancer for months and passed away in the ICU of a hospital in Bengaluru.
"I am sorry to inform the sad news, that our beloved Hon’ble Minister Shri Ananthkumar passed away today morning 2 am in Bengaluru from complications following cancer and infections. He had been in ICU and on ventilator for last few days," said an official statement from his office on Monday morning. Kumar who was receiving treatment in London for weeks returned to Bengaluru on October 20. The minister was admitted later to Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Basavanagudi.
"Extremely saddened by the passing away of my valued colleague and friend, Shri Ananth Kumar Ji. He was a remarkable leader, who entered public life at a young age and went on to serve society with utmost diligence and compassion. He will always be remembered for his good work," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on Monday morning. Modi said that the MP, who has represented Bengaluru South constituency multiple times, was an able administrator, who handled many ministerial portfolios and was a great asset to the BJP. "He worked hard to strengthen the Party in Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru and surrounding areas. He was always accessible to his constituents," he added.
Cabinet colleagues DV Sadananda Gowda and Nirmala Sitharaman too took to Twitter to express their condolences to the departed soul. The union minister's mortal remains will be placed at National college grounds in Basavangudi for public viewing from 9 AM onwards.
Kumar holds charge of two key ministries - serving as Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers since May 2014 and as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs since July 2016 in the Narendra Modi government.
Born on 22 July 1959 in Bengaluru, Kumar did his graduation 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.
Ananth Kumar served in various positions of ABVP like the State Secretary and later National Secretary in 1985 before joining the Bharatiya Janatha Party in 1987. In 1995 he was appointed as the National Secretary and was elected to Lok Sabha for the first time in 1996 from Bangalore South constituency. He was a member of various committees coming under ministry of railways and industry.
In 1998 he was inducted into the Union Cabinet headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the Minister for Civil Aviation.
AnanthKumar is married to Tejaswini and they have two daughters.
(with inputs from ANI)