New Delhi, Aug 31, 2020: Former President Pranab Mukherjee died on August 31, weeks after a brain surgery led to complications. He had also tested positive for the coronavirus. He was 84.
The former President has been in coma for days.
“With a Heavy Heart, this is to inform you that my father Pranab Mukherjee has just passed away in spite of the best efforts of Doctors of RR Hospital & prayers ,duas and prarthanas from people throughout India ! I thank all of You,” his son Abhijit Mukherjee tweeted.
Earlier in the morning, the army hospital in Delhi had reported a decline in his condition. He was in septic shock due to his lung infection, the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital had said.
Mukherjee has been on ventilator support. He had developed a lung infection a week ago.
He was admitted to hospital on August 10 and had surgery the same day for the removal of a clot in the brain. He had tested positive for Covid-19 in hospital. “On a visit to the hospital for a separate procedure, I have tested positive for Covid-19 today. I request the people who came in contact with me in the last week, to please self-isolate and get tested for Covid-19,” the former president had posted.
He developed a lung infection and a renal dysfunction over the past few days, according to doctors.
On Wednesday, the hospital said Mr Mukherjee’s “renal parameters are slightly deranged”.
Soon after the news of his surgery, wishes poured in from across the country and a number of leaders sent their wishes on Twitter. Special prayers were was organized in his ancestral village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, news agency PTI reported.
Mukherjee was President of India from 2012 to 2017. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna – India’s highest civilian award – in August 2019.
Source: ndtv.com