Pranab Mukherjee devoted life to Indian democracy, says Assam CM Himanta

Paying homage on the former president’s death anniversary, Himanta Biswa Sarma hailed Pranab Mukherjee as an “exceptional statesman” who fortified India’s democratic fabric over five decades in public life.

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday offered his tribute to former president Pranab Mukherjee on his death anniversary and said that the Bharat Ratna awardee had devoted his life to strengthening India's democracy.

"An exceptional parliamentarian, scholar and statesman, Late Pranab Mukherjee devoted his life to strengthening India's democratic fabric," Sarma said in a post on X.

"On his punyatithi today, my tributes to the former president, who was truly a Bharat Ratna and a champion of Brand Bharat," he added.

Mukherjee assumed office as the 13th President of India on July 25, 2012, crowning a political career of over five decades.

He had the rare distinction of having served at different times as foreign, defence, commerce and finance minister.

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha five times from 1969 and twice to the Lok Sabha from 2004. Mukherjee was a member of the Congress Working Committee, the highest policy-making body of the party, for a period of 23 years.

Mukherjee died on August 31, 2020 at the age of 84 years.