H N Ananth Kumar (1959-2018)

Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and six-time member of parliament from South Bengaluru Lok Sabha constituency, H N Ananth Kumar passed away in the early hours of Monday. He was undergoing treatment for cancer at Shankara Hospital in Bengaluru.

Ananth Kumar had been battling cancer for the last several months now. He had undergone treatment in London and New York, before being flown to the Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital in the city a few days back.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of his senior ministerial colleague.

Born to to Hegganapalli Narayan Shastri and Shrimati Girija Shastri in 1959, Ananth Kumar leaves behind his wife Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, chairperson of the Adamya Chetana Foundation and two daughters, Aishwarya and Vijeta .

Ananth Kumar, along with former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior BJP Leader B S Yeddyurappa, are largely credited with scripting the meteoric rise of BJP in Karnataka. A Swayamsevak since his childhood days, Anant Kumar plunged in to public life inspired by the JP movement in 1974 and went to jail fighting against the atrocities of the Emergency. He was in Hubli sub jail for over 40 days between December 8 1975 and 14 January 1976.  Later he actively participated in the student movement ABVP and served the organisation for 5 years as a full time worker and in the capacity of national secretary.

In 1986, he joined the political outfit BJP and built the organisation ground up, especially in Karnataka. In his long career of three decades he served the motherland through the organisation and as cabinet minister in the Vajpayee and Narendra Modi governments, holding various portfolios.

During the tenure of the NDA government under the late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Ananth Kumar held several crucial ministries, including tourism, sports and youth affairs, culture, urban development and poverty alleviation. He also played an instrumental role in giving shape to the international airport to Bengaluru.

He represented the Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency for a record six terms.

Kumar's mortal remains, which have been taken to his Basavangudi residence, will be kept for public viewing at the National College Grounds from 8 am onwards.