Vilasrao Deshmukh - Illness and Death

Illness and Death

Deshmukh was diagnosed with cirrhosis in summer 2011. Hints of his ailments, though kept in private, included the writing of his will and a general lack of previous warmth and tiredness at the weddings of his two sons, Riteish and Dheeraj. He was admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital in the first week of August 2012, where he was diagnosed with both liver and kidney failure. He was flown to Chennai for a liver transplant by air ambulance on 6 August. Attempts to commence the liver transplant failed as a clinically dead man, whose liver and kidney were to be transplanted into Deshmukh died the night before the operation. He died the following day on 14 August at 14:00 due to an apparent multiple organ failure.. He died in the presence of his family.

Reactions included INC President Sonia Gandhi who said his death was a great loss to the party. President Pranab Mukherjee paid tribute and expressed grief, as did Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who also called Deshmukh "a trusted colleague and an able administrator who worked at panchayat, state and central levels with admirable dedication." Singh said in his message. Mahrashtra BJP opposition leader Prakash Javadekar reacted in saying: "It is a very sad news. He was warm-hearted and cheerful and always ready for helping (others). He had a vision for Maharashtra and was equally concerned about farmers and youngsters;" while Minister of State for Science and Technology Ashwani Kumar called Deshmukh a "great human being" who had an ability to connect with people and that "he was very unwell. We were hoping for his recovery. I am saddened, shocked." Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said his death was "very unfortunate to lose such a promising leader at a young age." Janata Dal United (JDU) leader Sharad Yadav said his death resulted in a "lot of pain," while Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel said: "He had a long journey in public life. He was a big leader, a wise leader. He knew all parts of Maharashtra very well. It is great loss for the country and big loss for Maharashtra." Other condolences came from Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Republican Party of India leader Ramdas Athawale. His death also elicited reaction from Bollywood, partly as a result of his son's career in filmdom. These included Madhuri Dixit, Karan Johar, Bipasha Basu, Dia Mirza and Raveena Tandon, as well as Shah Rukh Khan who called Deshmukh a "wonderful" gentleman and said "I'm feeling very sorry. I have known him (Vilasrao) for years. Riteish is a close friend of mine. I spoke to him. I am very sad, it is very unexpected." His cremation took place on 15 August, India's Independence Day at Babhalgaon, his village, in Latur district. Vilasrao Deshmukh was activaly participent in development of Latur district. And son of Marathwadha which is admin part of Maharashtra.