Nagaland Governor La Ganesan cremated with state honours

RSS veteran and Nagaland Governor La Ganesan, who passed away last evening, was cremated with full state honours in Chennai on Saturday.

He was 80 and remained unmarried as he devoted himself to Sangh work from his early days. Ganesan was appointed Governor of Nagaland by the President in February 2023.

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After he sustained severe injury in the head when he fell down at his home and lapsed into coma due to inter cerebral hemorrhage. He was rushed to Apollo Hospital and treated at the Intensive Care Unit. The end came at 6.23 pm, yesterday, the hospital said.

Born on February 16, 1945, in a Brahmin family in Thanjavur, he was attracted to the RSS when he was young. After his father’s untimely death, he was taken care of by his brother. Becoming a full time activist of the organisation, he rose through the ranks as the BJP’s Tamil Nadu general Secretary, party’s national general secretary and vice-president.

Ganesan unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election from Chennai South constituency in 2009 and 2014. However, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh. He was appointed 17th Governor of Manipur in 2021 before being posted in Nagaland.
As Governor of Manipur, he held additional charge of West Bengal, when Jagdeep Dhankar was elevated as vice-president.

Despite being in the Sangh, he enjoyed a great rapport with the late DMK patriarch and former Chief Minister M Karunandhi and other leaders of the Dravidian shade. Interestingly, Chief Minister MK Stalin and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended the family wedding of Ganesan’s brother in Chennai in November 2022.

Earlier, Chief Minister MK Stalin and his son and Dy CM, Udhayanidhi paid floral tributes and to the mortal remains og Ganesan kept in state st his residence in T. Nagar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi and a host of leaders have condoled the death. The Nagaland government had declared a seven-day mourning.