TPCC President Uttam Reddy's ode to ex-president Pranab Mukherjee

Hyderabad: President of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee Uttam Kumar Reddy recalled his days with former President Pranab Mukherjee who succumbed to his ailments on Monday, August 31.

Stressing that he was deeply saddened by his demise, Reddy said that he was fortunate to have met him. Recalling a January 2010 meeting at the Union Home Ministry, Reddy wrote, "He and I were part of an all-party meeting on the separation of Telangana state, as the Home Minister, and I was the representative of TS' congress committee. I remember the many hours of briefing and discussion with him, before and after the meeting."

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The Lok Sabha MP further remembered meeting Mukherjee when he last visited Hyderabad, at the Rashtrapati Nillayam, Bollaram, Secundrabad. "I still remember him mentioning that he had become the Union Finance Minister before the age of 50," he wrote.

He also mentioned that the physical infrastructure of Rashtrapati Bhavan was adorned with several upgradations while Mukherjee lived there as the President of India from 2012-17.

Reddy expressed his condolences to Mukherjee's family and added that the Congress party will miss him.

The former president passed away in the evening hours of Monday. He was admitted at Delhi’s RR Hospital when he breathed his last.

The confirmation came from his son, Abhijit Mukherjee, who tweeted that his father has passed away despite the best efforts from doctors at the RR Hospital. He further thanked citizens for praying for his father.

Mukherjee has previously held several portfolios in the central government, notably the Union Finance Minister (2009-12). In 2019, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna by President Ram Nath Kovind.

He is said to have been Indira Gandhi’s most trusted cabinet member. He also served as the leader of the house in Rajya Sabha from 1980 to 1985.

Several politicians and public figures expressed their grief and offered condolences to Mukherjee’s family.