Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], passed away on September 12, 2024, at the age of 72. He had been receiving treatment for an acute respiratory tract infection at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, where he was admitted on August 19.

Yechury had been in critical condition and was cared for by a team of specialists in the intensive care unit. His health deteriorated despite medical efforts.

He is survived by his wife, Indrani Mazumdar, and his two children, a son and a daughter. His elder son, Ashish Yechury, passed away in 2021.

Before his death, Yechury recorded a video message from the hospital on August 22, expressing his condolences for the passing of former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya. Yechury lamented his inability to attend the memorial service in person, stating, “It’s my loss that I was not able to physically attend this memorial meeting and pay my homage to Com. Buddhadev Bhattacharya,” in a post on social media platform X.

Yechury, who had been the CPI(M) general secretary since 2015, was re-elected for another term in 2018. His leadership and contributions to the party were widely recognized and will be remembered.