PM, president condole death of former Uttarakhand CM B C Khanduri

Former Uttarakhand chief minister Major General Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri (Retd) has passed away at 91, with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing their condolences.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday expressed grief over the death of former Uttarakhand chief minister Major General Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri (Retd).

The 91-year-old veteran leader and former Union minister passed away on Tuesday in Dehradun following prolonged illness.

President Murmu praised Khanduri's transition from military service to public life and said the news of his passing as extremely sad.

''After serving excellently in the Indian Army, he presented an example of honesty, simplicity, transparency and development politics for public service,'' Murmu said in a post on X.

''His commitment towards development, good governance and public interest of the country and Uttarakhand will always be remembered,'' she added.

She offered her condolences to his grieving family members and well-wishers.

Expressing condolences, Prime Minister Modi said Khanduri made valuable contributions to both the armed forces and the political sphere.

Modi highlighted Khanduri's unwavering commitment to the development of Uttarakhand, noting that this dedication was clearly visible during his tenure as the chief minister.

The prime minister also praised his tenure as a Union minister and said Khanduri worked tirelessly to improve road connectivity across the country.

''In this hour of grief, my condolences are with his family members and supporters. Om Shanti!'' Modi said in a post on X.

Khanduri breathed his last at around 11 am, his daughter and Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan said. He was suffering from age-related ailments and underwent frequent hospitalisations recently.

Before entering politics, Khanduri retired from the Indian Army as a major general. The former chief minister served as the chief minister of the Uttarakhand twice.

Khanduri also served as a Union minister and held the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the cabinet of late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.