Vilasrao Deshmukh, Union Minister of Science and Technology, and Earth Sciences, died at a Chennai hospital on Tuesday afternoon. The minister was suffering from a serious liver and kidney ailment.

Reports have said that Vilasrao Deshmukh took his last breath at around 1:40 pm.

The 67-year-old minister was born on 26, May 1945, and was married to Vaishali Deshmukh. He was serving for Indian national Congress party.

Meanwhile, his funeral will take place in the Babhalgaon village in Latur. He was admitted to Chennai’s hospital on August 6.

The Prime Minister of the country, Manmohan Singh and President Pranab Mukherjee condoled Vilasrao Deshmukh’s death. However, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said that it was a great loss to the party as well as nation.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said, “He has a great amount of following within the Congress. There were signs of improvement on and off. We were hopeful that his health would improve.”

Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till Thursday after the news of Vilasrao Deshmukh’s death.

Congress party leader Milind Deora said, “I know his family very well. He was a great leader, administrator. He had some ups and downs in his career. He did make mistakes in his political career, but who doesn’t? His greatest strength was that he was a great leader, orator, organiser. He had control over his organisation. He was able to run the coalition government ably. He was a great campaigner for the party.”