Union Science and Technology Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh is dead. He breathed his last at a Chennai Hospital as he was suffering from serious liver ailment. He was 67. Hospital sources said that Deshmukh suffered from multi organ failure.He was brought from Mumbai to Chennai on 6th of this month for specialised treatment. His last rites will be performed tomorrow at his native village Babhalgaon in Latur district of Maharashtra.
Vilasrao Deshmukh born in 1945 remained Chief Minister of Maharashtra twice before he took over as Union Minister. He held charge of Rural Development before taking over the Science and Technology Ministry.
The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned immediately . The Lok Sabha was given this information by Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and the Rajya Sabha by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal . Later both the Houses were adjourned as a mark of respect.
The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has condoled the untimely demise of Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. In his condolence message, Dr Singh said, Mr Deshmukh was a trusted colleague and an able administrator who worked at Panchayat, State and Central levels with admirable dedication.
Several Union Ministers and political leaders have condoled the death of the leader.
Vilasrao Deshmukh began his political career as a Sarpanch in Babhalgaon village in 1974. A graduate from ILS Law College, Pune he was a grass root Congress worker who proved his mettle at every level. He held important porfolios of Revenue, Cooperation, Agriculture, Home, Industries and Education in Maharashtra before he became the Chief Minister of the State. He was inducted in the Union Cabinet as a Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister and later shifted to Rural Development. On 12th July last year, Deshmukh was given charge of Science and Technology.