Guwahati: Former Nagaland Chief Secretary P Talitemjen Ao breathed his last at the age of 78 on Thursday at Oking Hospital in Kohima.
He is survived by his wife, two sons and one daughter.
Governor of Nagaland Prof. Jagdish Mukhi expressed his condolences for Ao’s passing and said that the state’s residents would suffer an irreparable loss as a result. He also said that Ao’s unwavering and selfless service to the people of Nagaland throughout his career would be remembered for a very long time.
“In this hour of grief, I offer our deepest condolences to the lost family members on behalf of the people of Nagaland and on my own behalf. I also pray to the Lord for the grace to endure this loss and the strength to stay firm,” he said.
The former chief secretary and the first Chief Information Commissioner of Nagaland passed away, and the chief minister of Nagaland also expressed astonishment and sadness at the news.
He described Ao as a devout, God-fearing officer who was also diligent, honest, and upright. His assignments and postings all benefited from his hard work, honesty, and integrity, according to him.
He expressed that “he was a true gentleman, who was always cool and collected even in the most trying of situations, and was a role model to many inside and beyond the administration.”
“An officer with a high degree of professionalism, punctuality and sense of duty, it was a pleasure to work with Shri P Talitemjen Ao,” he added.
Ao became the state’s first Chief Information Commissioner after his retirement and served for five years. He completely rebuilt the state’s Information Commission office.