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KATHMANDU — Sita Dahal, wife of Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', died on Wednesday after suffering from a rare neurological condition. She was 69.
Sita, who had been ill for a long time, was undergoing treatment at Norvic International Hospital in Kathmandu, where the doctors confirmed her death at 8.33 am, according to Prime Minister's press coordinator Surya Kiran Sharma.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]Sita, who was also an adviser to the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), was suffering from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy along with Parkinsonism, Diabetes Mellitus-II and Hypertension for a long time.
Progressive supranuclear palsy is a rare neurological condition that can cause problems with balance, movement, vision, speech and swallowing.
She was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday morning following complications in her health condition.
According to Prime Minister Prachanda's personal physician Professor Dr Yuvraj Sharma, Sita suffered cardiac arrest at 8 am on Wednesday.
"Despite resuscitation, she could not be revived and [was] declared dead at 8:33 am," read a statement signed by Sharma.
Sita had undergone treatment in India in 2021. She also received treatment at the Baltimore-based John Hopkins Hospital in the United States of America in 2020 and prior to that she was also taken to Singapore for treatment in June 2018.
Sita's body was kept at the party central office in Paris Danda, Koteshwar from 11 am to 1 pm to pay the final tributes.
Her last rites were performed with state honours at Pashupatinath Aryaghat.
Daughters Renu and Ganga Dahal lit the funeral pyre of Sita.
Several top ministers, MPs, secretaries, and officials of the diplomatic missions were among those present at the funeral.
Prime Minister Prachanda and Sita had three daughters and one son. Their eldest daughter Gyanu Dahal and son Prakash Dahal have already passed away.
Tributes poured in from various quarters on Wednesday on the death of Sita. Leaders of political parties and diplomats paid their tributes to the wife of Prime Minister Prachanda.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish at the death of Prachanda's wife.
"Extremely saddened to learn about the demise of Mrs. Sita Dahal. I express my sincere condolences to @cmprachanda and pray that the departed soul finds eternal peace. Om Shanti," Modi tweeted.
Nepal's President Ramchandra Paudel has said that he is deeply saddened by the news.
President Paudel telephoned Prime Minister Dahal on Wednesday to express his grief and also expressed his deep condolences, wishing that God would give strength to the bereaved family including the Prime Minister.
Leader of the main opposition party and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli reached Norvic Hospital in Thapathali to express his condolences to the family along with Prime Minister Dahal.
"I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of Sita Dahal, the life partner of honourable Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Paying heartfelt tributes to the late Sita Dahal, I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family including Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal," Oli tweeted.
Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba paid tributes to Sita and expressed condolences to the prime minister.
Similarly, the Rashtriya Swatantra Party issued a statement and expressed grief over the demise of Sita.
Heads of various diplomatic missions also expressed their condolences on the passing of Sita.
US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R Thompson expressed deep condolences to the Prime Minister and his family, saying "Our thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time."
Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song reached the party office of the CPN (Maoist Centre) to pay the last tribute to Sita Dahal.