Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar died at a private hospital here in the early hours of Monday after battling lung cancer for several months, hospital authorities said. Kumar, 59, breathed his last around 2 am with his wife Tejaswini and two daughters by his bedside, Sankara Hospital Director Nagaraj told media.
He had come back to Bengaluru only recently after undergoing treatment in the US and Britain. He was later under treatment at the Sankara Hospital here. BJP sources said the body of Kumar would be kept at the National College Ground, which falls in his Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency, for public homage.Details of funeral arrangements were being worked out, the sources said.
Kumar passed away from complications following cancer and infections, his party office said in a statement.He had been on the ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit for the last few days, it said.
Expressing his grief, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was extremely saddened by the passing away of “my valued colleague and friend” and described him as 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, he said in a tweet.
