Moscow: The last president of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev (91), passed away. He was ill for a long time. He died on Tuesday in a private hospital while undergoing treatment for kidney disease. Gorbachev is the leader who tried to democratize the Soviet Union. The disease caught him while he was away from politics and engaged in social activities.

Gorbachev, who was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, became the President of the Soviet Union in 1990-91 when the Cold War with the United States was at its peak. He was instrumental in ending the Cold War without bloodshed. Gorbachev's actions led the way in ending the 'Iron Curtain' that plagued Europe after World War II and in bringing about the unification of Germany.

However, his administrative reforms and decisions also led to the stigma of being the leader who paved the way for the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev's administrative reforms during his presidency of the Soviet Union failed to achieve their intended goals and led to the collapse of the world's first communist empire. He was forced to resign as president as the republics left one by one.

He introduced two policies aimed at leading the country towards further development and progress. Glasnost, which promised political transparency, and perestroika, which offered economic liberalization. These measures of Gorbachev were not successful. Mikhail Gorbachev survived several assassination attempts. In 1990, the world honoured him with the Nobel Peace Prize.

Gorbachev was born on March 2, 1931, in a peasant family in Privoili, part of Russia. He officially joined the Communist Party in 1952 when he began studying law at Moscow State University. World leaders mourned the death of Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev will be buried next to his wife Raisa, who died in 1999, at Moscow's Novodevichy Cemetery.