Srinagar, Aug 31: On the death anniversary of former President of India Pranab Mukherjee, Chairman of the Kashmir Policy and Strategy Group Ashok Bhan paid tribute to the veteran statesman, describing him as a “towering statesman, an unwavering Constitutionalist and a political scholar” whose public life embodied the finest traditions of Indian democracy.
Bhan said Mukherjee’s journey from a modest beginning in a village in Bengal to the highest constitutional office of the country was marked by intellect, humility, experience and an abiding commitment to public service.
He said Mukherjee possessed a rare understanding of India’s political institutions and the complexities of its democratic journey, earning respect across political lines.
‘A man of culture and political scholarship’
Recalling Mukherjee’s multifaceted personality, Bhan said his journey included his early years as a teacher and journalist in a small village in Bengal before he emerged as an avid reader, prolific writer and standard-bearer of India’s intellectual heritage.
His vast knowledge of history, politics, economics and parliamentary practice made him an exceptional repository of institutional wisdom, Bhan said.
“His vast knowledge of history, politics, economics and parliamentary practice made him an exceptional repository of institutional wisdom,” he said.
Bhan added that Mukherjee believed deeply in dialogue, accommodation and the strength of democratic institutions.
“His interventions were informed not merely by political expediency but by scholarship and a profound understanding of India’s civilisational and constitutional inheritance,” he said.
‘His legacy continues to inspire’
Bhan said Mukherjee remained, above all, an unwavering Constitutionalist whose commitment to the rule of law and good governance was central to his political and administrative philosophy.
He said Mukherjee consistently urged younger generations of leaders to uphold India’s constitutional values and demonstrate deep respect for democratic institutions.
“His passing left a void in public life, but his legacy continues to remind us that politics, at its finest, is an instrument of national service, constitutional responsibility and the pursuit of the common good,” Bhan said.
Pranab Mukherjee, who served as the 13th President of India from 2012 to 2017, passed away on August 31, 2020, aged 84. His death anniversary is observed on August 31.
