New Delhi: The nation will bid a final farewell to the esteemed veteran CPM leader and party’s national general secretary, Sitaram Yechury, today. His body will be available for public homage at the AK Gopalan Bhavan, the party’s headquarters, from 11 am to 3 pm. Following this, his remains will be taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi for donation to medical research, fulfilling his last wish.
On Friday, senior CPM leaders, including politburo members, and dignitaries such as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, party state secretary M V Govindan, MP John Brittas, and BJP national president JP Nadda, paid their respects at Yechury’s residence. The body was also displayed at the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union office, where many students and faculty members honored him.
The iconic “Laal Salam” slogan was chanted as leftist supporters gathered to pay tribute to Yechury, whose body was laid in a flower-adorned casket. A banner read, “Long live comrade Sitaram Yechury,” highlighting his significant impact.
As a student leader, Yechury was deeply involved with the Students Federation of India (SFI) from 1974, serving as its president at Jawaharlal Nehru University and later as All-India President. His tenure marked him as the first person from outside West Bengal or Kerala to hold the position.
Yechury passed away on Thursday at 72, following a prolonged battle with a lung infection. He had been in critical condition for days and on respiratory support at AIIMS. Yechury is survived by his wife, Seema Chishti, and three children, including his late son Ashish Yechury, who died of Covid in 2021. His earlier marriage was to Indrani Mazumdar.
