Sitaram Yechury and his son Ashish. (File Photo) Ashish Yechury, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury’s 34-year-old son, died of Covid-19 at Medanta – The Medicity in the early hours of Thursday after a two-week long battle with the infection.
Breaking the news on Twitter at 7.59 am, around two hours after his son’s death, Yechury wrote, “It is with great sadness that I have to inform that I lost my elder son, Ashish Yechury to Covid-19 this morning. I want to thank all those who gave us hope and who treated him – doctors, nurses, frontline health workers, sanitation workers and innumerable others who stood by us.”
It is with great sadness that I have to inform that I lost my elder son, Ashish Yechury to COVID-19 this morning. I want to thank all those who gave us hope and who treated him – doctors, nurses, frontline health workers, sanitation workers and innumerable others who stood by us.
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) April 22, 2021
In another tweet put out after his son’s last rites were performed, he said, “I bid goodbye to my son, Ashish (Biku) at noon today. I thank all of you who have shared our sorrow. I thank everybody who gave us strength to be able to face this dark hour. I know that I am not alone in my grief, with this pandemic consuming countless lives.”
I bid goodbye to my son, Ashish (Biku) at noon today.
I thank all of you who have shared our sorrow. I thank everybody who gave us strength to be able to face this dark hour. I know that I am not alone in my grief, with this pandemic consuming countless lives.— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) April 22, 2021
An alumni of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) in Chennai, Ashish was a journalist who had worked with various publications over the years, including Times of India, Network 18, and Pune Mirror. In January this year, he joined Newslaundry in Delhi, where his colleagues, although having met him only a few times as they were working from home because of the pandemic, described him as “gentle”, “generous”, and “warm”.
“He joined us in January this year and worked as Assistant Editor. He was very gentle and soft-spoken and he had made a name for himself in the industry. He was in Pune before he joined us, he had just moved to Delhi. I had only met him once in his brief time at Newslaundry but I can say that in his short time with us, he won many friends and admirers,” said Manisha Pande, Executive Editor at Newslaundry.
Mehraj D Lone, Senior Editor at Newslaundry said, “He was very intelligent and talented, but as a person also he was always generous, always joking with people, very lively.”
Leaders across party lines, including the Prime Minister as well as the President of India, put out messages on social media to express condolences after hearing of Ashish’s death.
“Condolences to Shri Sitaram Yechury Ji and his family on the tragic and untimely demise of his son, Ashish. On Shanti,” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning.
Condolences to Shri Sitaram Yechury Ji and his family on the tragic and untimely demise of his son, Ashish. Om Shanti.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 22, 2021
“Grieved beyond words to learn about the untimely demise of Shri Ashish Yechury. In this moment of profound grief, my deepest condolences to Shri Sitaram Yechury, his family and loved ones. May you find the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” said President Ram Nath Kovind in a tweet.
Grieved beyond words to learn about the untimely demise of Shri Ashish Yechury. In this moment of profound grief, my deepest condolences to Shri Sitaram Yechury, his family and loved ones. May you find the strength to bear this irreparable loss.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 22, 2021
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee similarly stated she was “shocked and very saddened” to learn about Ashish’s demise, while Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar stated he was “deeply saddened”.
“Dear Com. @SitaramYechury, our deepest condolences on the loss of Ashish. Our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time,” tweeted Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
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