Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), passed away on September 12, 2024, at the age of 72. He was undergoing treatment for acute respiratory tract infection at AIIMS, New Delhi, where he had been admitted on August 19 with a pneumonia-like chest infection.

Yechury is survived by his wife, Seema Chishti, and two children. His elder son, Ashish Yechury, passed away in 2021 due to COVID-19. Despite his health, Yechury made his last public appearance through a video tribute to his comrade, former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who died last month.

Yechury joined CPI(M) through its student wing, the Student Federation of India (SFI), during his time at Jawaharlal Nehru University, where he served as the students’ union president. He became a member of the CPI(M) Central Committee in 1984 and was elected to the Polit Bureau in 1985. He was known for his advocacy of coalition politics and played a significant role in shaping alliances for the United Front and UPA governments.

Yechury’s contributions included leading the CPI(M) as general secretary since 2015, with re-elections in 2018 and 2022, and serving as a two-time Rajya Sabha member. He will be remembered for his steadfast commitment to Marxist-Leninist principles and his efforts to unite opposition forces against the ruling government.