Chhattisgarh minister T S Singh Deo bereaved

Chhattisgarh Health Minister T S Singh Deos mother Devendra Kumari Singh Deo, who served as a Congress minister in undivided Madhya Pradesh, died after a prolonged illness at a hospital in Gurugram on Monday, said officials here.

She was 87.

Devendra Kumari Singh Deo died around 7 pm at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, an official from the state government's public relations department said.

She was Rajmata (queen mother) of the erstwhile Surguja princely state and served two times as a minister in the Congress government in undivided Madhya Pradesh, he said.

Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000.

Her mortal remains will be brought to Ambikapur, the headquarters of Surguja district, by a special plane on Tuesday and the last rites will be held on Wednesday, he said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is in New Delhi from where he will leave for the USA on Tuesday, visited the hospital and paid tribute to Devendra Kumari Singh Deo, the official said.

The chief minister extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, he said.