It is a personal loss to me, says Kalam
A gem of a person: Shekhawat; a charismatic and youthful
leader full of promise and energy, says Manmohan

 

A man the IT industry will long remember Bangalore : The Information Technology (IT) industry will remember Pramod Mahajan with affection. His spell as the IT Minister and then as the combined head of both IT and telecommunications, saw many lively exchanges with industry representatives. He always had his own special `take' on technology issues — and could tell a joke at his own expense. At the annual conference of the Confederation of Indian Industry in April 2001, he was the only person in a kurta-pyjama, in a sea of lounge suits and ties. The theme was `Bridging the Digital Divide' — so Mahajan began his address: "In India the divide is not just between the haves and the have nots, but between the ties and the tie nots! ``The divide began right at home where my children know more about computers than me.'' He also quipped once that "Indians are very good at IT and beauty... we have Miss World and then we have AzimPremji and Narayana Murthy. That is because these are the only sectors without government interference." Soon after he became the IT Minister, he changed over to a digital visiting card — a tiny compact disk that included a summary of India's IT achievements in addition to his contact details. Jokes aside, his tenure was marked by possibly the largest body of IT-enabling legislation India has seen — from the IT Act of 2000 to the legalising of digital signatures in February 2002, to the opening up of Internet telephony to the formal licensing of WiFI or wireless Internet. When he transmitted the first-ever digital signature in India during the 2002 annual session of NASSCOM, he placed the event in a perspective that had escaped most of the IT head honchos assembled: "This is not so much a red letter day but an e-letter day. The ancient Indian way of sealing a pact was to say "Maine jubaan dee hai," I have given my word. Then came the "angoota" or thumb impression.

NEW DELHI: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam led the nation in mourning senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union Minister Pramod Mahajan, who died in Mumbai on Wednesday.

In a message to the late leader's wife, Rekha Mahajan, Dr. Kalam said, "I had closely known Mr. Mahajan and worked with him when he was Union Minister. I will always remember my personal interaction and close association with him. I feel a personal sense of loss in his passing away. He was a young leader well known for his `can do it' approach. He served with distinction in various important assignments in public life as well as in Government. The nation has lost a young political leader with potential."

`Gem of a person'

Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, said: "Mr. Mahajan was a gem of a person, who always strove hard to help others. He was a true nationalist and a mass leader. From a common man, his rise to a position of eminence in public life will always be a source of inspiration for the young. His passing away at this age has caused a big void, which will be difficult to fill."

In a statement from the Isle of Man, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who is currently attending a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting, said, "As the leader of the CPI (M) in the 13th Lok Sabha, I used to have regular interactions with Mr. Mahajan, who was then the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs. Such dynamic leaders are an asset to the country... "

Capable organiser: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Mr. Mahajan as a "charismatic and youthful leader full of promise and energy. A well-known personality in public life, he earned a reputation as a capable organiser and a dynamic leader through his hard work." Recalling his long association with him in the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Singh said: "It is indeed tragic that he has been snatched away from us at the prime of his career in politics and public life."

Tributes and condolence messages poured in from leaders of different political parties, including Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat, RJD leader and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, and Lok Jan Shakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan.

In her message to Ms. Mahajan, Ms. Gandhi said, "When I wrote to you after the (shooting) incident, there was hope that Mr. Mahajan would recover, but it has not happened. In life, one has to accept the will of the Almighty. Mere words can't soften your unbearable pain. I pray to God to give you strength to bear the loss. I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to yourself and your children."

The Congress described Mr. Mahajan as one of the most competent ministers, a very good organiser and an able politician, who played an important role in Indian politics.

Mr. Karat, in a message to BJP president Rajnath Singh, said, "I am saddened to hear the news of the passing away of Mr. Mahajan. In his untimely death, the life of a political leader with potential and promise has been cut short. It is a great loss to the BJP. I convey my heartfelt sympathy to his wife, son and daughter and other family members. Please accept my heartfelt condolences."

Several Cabinet Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, Shivraj Patil, Murli Deora, Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Saifuddin Soz, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Shibu Soren were among the numerous leaders who condoled the death.

U.S. Ambassador David Mulford, the former President, R. Venkataraman, president of the Confederation of Indian Industry R. Seshasayee, and president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry Anil K. Agarwal, also condoled his death.

In a message, Mr. Mulford said, "On behalf of the American people and Government, I convey my condolences to the family of Mr. Pramod Mahajan following his tragic and untimely death.

He embodied the spirit and vibrancy of young India. He was a forward-looking leader, who had the vision and determination to guide India towards a bright and prosperous future."