A Correspondent
SILCHAR: Kabindra Purkayastha, former Union Minister and one of the founder members of the BJP, breathed his last at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) following a prolonged disease. He was 94.
Purkayastha’s body has been kept in the SMCH mortuary and will be taken to his residence on Thursday morning. The last rites will be performed tomorrow. Kabindrababu leaves behind a son, Kanad Purkayastha (Rajya Sabha MP), a daughter, a daughter-in-law, a granddaughter, and a grandson.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and Leader of the Opposition of the Assam Assembly Debobrata Saikia expressed deep sorrow at the demise of Purkayastha.
On the passing away of Kabindra Purkayastha, PM Modi said on his X handle, “Pained by the passing of former MP and Union Minister Shri Kabindra Purkayastha Ji. His commitment to serving society and contribution towards Assam’s progress will always be remembered. He played a vital role in strengthening the BJP across the state. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti.”
Born on December 15, 1931, at Kamarkhal in the then Sylhet district, Kabindra Purkayastha completed his master’s degree and BT from Gauhati University. He joined as a teacher in Silchar Narsingh School and then shifted to Ramkrishnanagar HS School as the principal. He joined the RSS in 1951. Following the formation of the BJP, Kabindrababu resigned from the service at the request of the late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Kabindrababu was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991. Later, he served as the Minister of State for Telecommunications in Vajpayee’s government in 1998. He was again elected in 2009, defeating Congress strongman Sontosh Mohan Dev.
Kabindra Purkayastha played a pivotal role in shaping the BJP in Assam as well as in the Northeast. His demise is the end of an era in the true sense of the term.
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