Sitaram Yechury, the General Secretary of CPI(M), passed away on Thursday, September 12. The 72-year-old leader was admitted to the ICU at AIIMS Delhi due to an acute respiratory tract infection on August 19. According to AIIMS sources, he succumbed to a lung infection and multiple organ failure. Yechury was one of the top leaders of the Left in India. He led the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at a time when the party's stronghold in Indian politics was waning. However, Comrade Sitaram Yechury asserted that despite reduced representation in Parliament and assemblies, CPI(M) played a crucial role in setting the country's agenda.
Born on August 12, 1952, in the then Madras, Sitaram Yechury hailed from a Telugu Brahmin family. His father, S.S. Yechury, was an engineer in the Andhra Pradesh Transport Department, and his mother, Kalpakam Yechury, was a government officer. His early education was in Hyderabad. In 1969, he moved to Delhi and enrolled at President's Estate School, New Delhi, excelling in academics. He topped the higher secondary examination across India.
He graduated in Economics (Honors) from St. Stephen's College, New Delhi, and completed his post-graduation in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 1975 with distinction. Yechury began his Ph.D. at JNU during the Emergency period in India, but his studies were interrupted when he was arrested.
Source: aajtak
Personal Life
Sitaram Yechury married BBC journalist Seema Chishti. This was his second marriage; his first marriage was to the daughter of Leftist activist and feminist Dr. Veena Majumdar. He had a son and a daughter from his first marriage.
Political Career
During his college days, Sitaram Yechury was influenced by Leftist ideologies and joined the Students' Federation of India (SFI) in 1974. A year later, he joined CPI(M). During the Emergency, he was arrested and continued his struggle for the restoration of democracy in India. In 1977-78, he became the president of JNU Students' Union. With the support of another prominent Left figure, Prakash Karat, JNU flourished as a hub of Leftist ideas.
In 1978, Yechury became the All India Joint Secretary of the SFI and later its president. In 1984, he was invited to the central committee of CPI(M). Yechury left SFI in 1986 but continued to rise within CPI(M) due to his organizational skills and effectiveness. In 1992, at the 14th Congress of CPI(M), he was elected to the Politburo.
On April 19, 2015, at the 21st Congress of CPI(M) in Visakhapatnam, Sitaram Yechury was elected as the fifth General Secretary of the party, succeeding Prakash Karat. On April 18, 2018, at the 22nd Congress of CPI(M), he was re-elected as the General Secretary.
Source: aajtak
Journey in Politics
In the upper house of Parliament, Sitaram Yechury was known for his articulate and fact-based speeches that even swayed his opponents. In 2005, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal and served until August 18, 2017, raising numerous public interest issues.
During the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement under Manmohan Singh's tenure in July 2008, Yechury was vocal in discussions. Though Manmohan Singh agreed to several conditions set by CPI(M) for the deal, then CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat decided to withdraw support from the government on July 8, 2008.
Apart from being a politician, Sitaram Yechury was also a social activist, economist, journalist, and author. His opinion was highly valued in formulating political documents. Along with Congress leader P. Chidambaram, he prepared the Common Minimum Programme for the United Front Government in 1996. He consistently wrote columns in newspapers and authored several books including 'Left Hand Drive', 'What is This Hindu Nation?', 'Politics of Hatred', and 'Socialism in the 21st Century'. He also edited works such as 'Diary of Freedom Movement', 'The Great Revolt: A Left Appraisal', and 'Global Economic Crisis: A Marxist Perspective'.
