Senior Tripura Minister and president of Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) Narendra Chandra Debbarma died here on Sunday (January 1) following prolonged illness, family and hospital sources said. He was 80.
Debbarma, who held the Revenue and Forest Departments, is survived by four sons, three daughters and his wife.
The veteran tribal leader suffered from a severe brain stroke on December 30 and was admitted to the government-run AGMC and GBP Hospital, where he breathed his last. He went through complex brain surgery by the supervision of Dr. Siddha Reddy and was put on ventilator at the ICU.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha went to the departed leader’s residence in Agartala and said, “Paid respects at the residence of late Narendra Chandra Debbarma, a senior colleague in the state cabinet. I sympathize with the bereaved family and loved ones in the pain of his loss. May the departed soul rest in peace”.
According to a government notification, as a mark of respect to the departed Minister, State Government institutions shall remain closed on January 2, three-day State mourning from January 1 to January 3 next, National Flag will be flown at half-mast across the State and there will be no official entertainment.
Union MoS Pratima Bhowmik condoled Debbarma’s death and said, the mortal remains of NC Debbarma will be kept at his residence today and will be taken to Secretariat and tributes will be paid to him.
Rajya Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb and other leaders also expressed deep sympathy to bereaved family members and condoled the demise of Debbarma.
Leaders of other Political Parties including Opposition leader and CPIM Politburo member Manik Sarkar condoled the demise of the leader.
Before joining politics, Debbarma was the Station Director of All India Radio for many years.
He played a very significant role in installing the BJP-IPFT alliance government in the state in March 2018 after defeating the CPIM led Left Front.