Kathmandu, December 18

Former prime minister Tulasi Giri passed away at his residence in Budhanilakantha this morning. He was 93.

Giri had been undergoing treatment for lung cancer for quite some time, according to family sources.

His body will cremated at the Pashupati Aryaghat electric crematorium at 3:00pm tomorrow.

Till then, the body will be kept at his residence for people to pay final tributes, family sources said.

Giri, who is survived by his spouse, two sons and four daughters, had been active in politics from 1960 to 2005. He was Nepal’s prime minister from 1975 to 1977 and chairperson of the council of ministers in 1963, 1964 and 1965.

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari expressed grief on the demise of Giri. She extended her condolences to the bereaved family in a statement. Political leaders took to twitter to pay tribute to late Giri.

In a Twitter post, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli expressed grief on the passing away Giri. Oli said Giri’s demise had saddened him.

Former prime minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba also extended  condolences to the bereaved family.

Similarly, Rastriya Prajatanta Party Chairman Kamal Thapa said in a Twitter post that he was shocked to hear about the demise of a towering personality of Nepali politics.

“I have lost my source of inspiration and guidance,”said Thapa.

Former prime minister and Coordinator of Naya Shakti Party-Nepal Baburam Bhattarai said in a tweeter post that despite adopting a different political path, Giri was a special talent.