President, PM Modi express grief over demise of former Uttarakhand CM B C Khanduri

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

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other prominent leaders of the state visited the 91-year-old veteran politician's residence to pay last respect after he died at a private hospital here on Tuesday following a prolonged illness.

News of Khanduri's demise triggered a wave of mourning across the country and the state, drawing supporters and well-wishers to the hospital and his residence.

President Murmu termed 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.

Radhakrishnan said Khanduri's visionary contribution to transforming India's road infrastructure through the Golden Quadrilateral and National Highways Development Programme will remain a milestone.

The vice president recalled his recent meeting with Khanduri during his visit to Uttarakhand, fondly remembering their association as former colleagues in the Lok Sabha.

CM Dhami visited Khanduri's residence to pay his respects after returning from his Chhattisgarh tour. Dhami termed the demise an irreparable loss not only for Uttarakhand but also for national politics.

Dhami stated that Khanduri presented an unparalleled example of national service, discipline, and dedication during his career in the Indian Army.

''In public life too, he established a strong identity of development, good governance, transparency, and an honest working style for Uttarakhand. He gave a new direction to development by taking many important decisions in the interest of the state,'' Dhami added.

Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi also visited the Basant Vihar residence to pay floral tributes and consoled the bereaved family members.

Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat and Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Ganesh Godiyal also visited the residence to pay their final respects.

Rawat said that the demise of Khanduri is a massive and irreparable loss. ''He was as spectacular as a person as he was as a soldier, and he discharged his duties with great pride and glory as an MP, Union minister and chief minister,'' Rawat said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)