Indian bishops mourn ex president Narayanan
The 85-year-old man died yesterday after some days in a coma. Of humble origin, he dedicated his life wholly to the service of the nation, to the point of becoming the first Dalit to be head of State.
New Dehli (AsiaNews/Agencies) The Indian Bishops' Conference (CBCI) has joined in nationwide mourning for the death last night of the former president, Kocheril Raman Narayanan. Naranayan, 85 years, was the first Dalit to reach the Indian presidency. He fell into a coma last week after an acute arterial blockage and was kept alive by a ventilator.
The CBCI spokesman, Fr Joseph Babu, expressed the bishops' sentiments of mourning, joining with the rest of the nation in grieving Naranayan's death. He said Naranayan "symbolized the resurgent India in so many different ways. We have known him as a person who contributed to the nation in different areas of service and rose to the highest office of the country and gave a sterling leadership during his tenure".
Narayanan came from a poor family in a small village in Kottayam district in the southern State of Kerala. Each morning, he would walk 15km to go to school. Thanks to his determination and intelligence, he became the first Dalit to reach the nation's highest ranking position. 'Dalit' is the term used to describe those who do not belong to the four main castes.
He distinguished himself in his studies and overcame economic and social obstacles to go to the prestigious London School of Economics, where the legendary Harold Laski was one of his teachers.
"His humble origins never deterred his progress and determination to excel in his life and service to the nation. He certainly gave hope to millions of people of our country who belonged to the disadvantaged sections of our society," Fr Joseph said.
Naranayan returned from London with a letter of recommendation from Laski singing his praises, addressed to Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who introduced him to the Indian Foreign Affairs Office. As a diplomat, he represented India in the United States, at a time when ties between the two states were strained. He looked after Indian interests in diverse capitals of the world, and he was especially and successfully committed to mending diplomatic ties with China, disrupted by war in 1962.
He entered the political fray in 1984 on the invitation of Premier, Indira Gandhi. He was minister and in 1992 he became vice-president of India. On 27 July 1997, he became the eleventh president of the Indian nation.
"The shining example of Mr. Narayanan will inspire generations to follow a path of development and social progress," said Fr Joseph. Senior Church leaders in Delhi including Archbishop Vincent Michael Concessao, will pay their homage to the departed soul, representing all the Christian community.
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06/04/2018 12:30
