The former Governor of Assam, Bhishma Narain Singh, passed away at a private hospital in Noida following prolonged illness, hospital sources said on Thursday. He was 85.
A report in the The Times of India stated that Singh, who was diagnosed with “high grade B cell lymphoma with metastasis”, died on Wednesday evening at Fortis Noida, hospital sources said.
The report further quoted a spokesperson of the hospital as saying, “He was admitted to the hospital on July 28 last and passed away on Wednesday at 4.35 pm.” Singh, who was also a Union minister and the former Governor of Meghalaya, died of “septic shock with multi-organ failure”, hospital sources further stated.
While he was the Governor of Assam from 1984 to 1989, he was one of the persons who were instrumental in signing of the historic Assam Accord. A devoted Gandhian, he was also the Chairman of the North Eastern Council (NEC).
Condolences poured in from various quarters. The Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, said in his condolence message, “I am saddened to hear about the passing away of the former Meghalaya Governor and Union Minister Bhishma Narain Singh. On behalf of the people of Meghalaya, I send our deepest condolences and sympathies to his family members. Singh will be remembered for helping in the establishment of sports infrastructure for holding the IXth Asian Games in New Delhi and ensuring its completion in record time besides his contribution in signing of the historic Assam Accord between the Central and State Governments and the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU). He will be remembered for his valuable contributions in Meghalaya. I deeply mourn Bhishma Narain Singh’s passing away. May his departed soul rest in peace.”
The Assam Governor, Jagdish Mukhi, also condoled Singh’s death. Singh was the member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for more than three decades. The Congress president, Rahul Gandhi, in his condolence message, stated that the demise of Singh has left a “deep void in the Congress family”. The Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh and the former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, also expressed grief over the death of the former Assam Governor.