Ex-Assam guv Bhishma Narain Singh dead; tributes pour in

Former Union minister Bhishma Narain Singh died at a private hospital in Noida following prolonged illness, hospital sources said today.

He was 85.

Singh, who was diagnosed with "high grade B cell lymphoma with metastasis", died last evening at Fortis Noida, they said.

"He was admitted to the hospital on July 28 and passed away yesterday at 4:35 pm," a spokesperson of the hospital said.

Singh, who had also served as governor of Assam, died of "septic shock with multi-organ failure", he said.

Condolences poured in from various quarters with former president Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders paying homage to him.

"Deeply saddened at the passing away of Dr Bhishma Narain Singh, long time colleague and a dear friend. May God give strength to his family & friends in this time of grief. His contributions to the nation & Congress party will forever be remembered," Mukherjee tweeted.

The vice president also paid tribute to Singh in a tweet and described him as a "Gandhian till his last breath".

"Deeply saddened about the passing away of Dr Bhishma Narain Singh Ji, who served as a Governor & Union Minister. He was a Freedom Fighter, Gandhian till his last breath. Condolences to his family and friends in this time of grief. May his soul rest in peace. #BhishmaNarainSingh," he said.

The home minister, in a tweet, shared pictures of him paying his last respect to the former Assam governor at a crematorium here today.

"He followed the Gandhian philosophy all his life and dedicated himself to the welfare of poor. May God give his family and supporters the strength to bear this loss," he said.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said Singh's passing away has left a deep void in the party.

"The passing away of Dr Bhishma Narain Singh former Governor and Union Minister leaves a deep void in the Congress Party. My condolences to his family in this time of grief. May his soul rest in peace," he tweeted.

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot tweeted, "Paid tributes and had antim darshan of Dr Bhishma Narain Singh ji, former Governor n former Union Minister in New Delhi".

Jyotiraditya Scindia also took to Twitter to pay his homage to Singh, saying, "His contribution to the Congress and the nation will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family".