New Delhi, September 12
Sitaram Yechury, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), passed away at the age of 72. Yechury was undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi after being admitted on August 19 due to a lung infection. He breathed his last after battling shortness of breath and other health complications.
Born on August 12, 1952, in Chennai to Yechury Sarveshwara Somayazulu and Kalpakam, Yechury grew up to become one of the most prominent faces of the Indian communist movement. His political journey began in the student movement when he joined the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) in 1974. A year later, in 1975, he became a primary member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). In 1985, he was elected to the CPM Central Committee, marking the start of his leadership role within the party.
Yechury served as a Rajya Sabha MP from 2005 to 2017 and left a lasting legacy as a staunch advocate of Marxist principles in India. Known for his sharp intellect and articulate speeches, Yechury had a significant influence on Indian politics, particularly through his role in shaping CPM’s ideology and its approach to national issues.
Yechury’s academic career started in Hyderabad, and he later pursued a BA in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. He went on to complete his MA at Jawaharlal Nehru University, where he was deeply involved in student activism. Over the years, Yechury rose through the ranks of the party, becoming its General Secretary and playing a crucial role in guiding the CPM through challenging times.
He leaves behind a legacy of dedication to the communist movement, always standing for the working class and fighting for the ideals of equality and justice. His death marks the end of an era in Indian left-wing politics.
