Guwahati: Shyam Saran Negi, the 106-year-old who was the first voter in independent India passed away on Saturday morning in his hometown of Kalpa Himachal Pradesh only days after casting his final ballot in the state’s 14th Assembly elections.
Negi was the nation’s first voter when he cast his ballot on October 23, 1951, at the Kalpa polling place. On November 2, this year he cast his 34th and final ballot an accomplishment that was recognised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This is commendable and should serve as an inspiration for the younger voters to take part in the elections and strengthen our democracy,” PM Modi had tweeted.
On November 2, the 106-year-old used a postal ballot to cast his vote.
Negi’s death was comforted by Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, who said that it “will always be emotional” to remember the nation’s first voter casting his final ballot.
“Saddened to hear the news of the demise of Shyam Saran Negi ji, the first voter of independent India and who belonged to Kinnaur. While performing his duty, he cast his postal vote for the assembly elections for the 34th time on November 2, this memory will always be emotional,” Thakur tweeted.
“May God bless his virtuous soul at his feet and give strength to the bereaved family members,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Kinnaur Amandeep Garg said that Negi will be cremated with full state honour.
Chief Electoral Officer, Maneesh Garg expressed his condolences on the demise of Negi and said that he “motivated generations of voters for exercising their right to franchise for strengthening the democratic set up”.
In a statement, Garg said, “Such was his commitment that he voted till the last breath of his life as he had cast his vote through postal ballot on 2nd November, at his home in Kalpa.”
“Negi was a noble human being and I pray to the almighty to give peace to the departed soul and strength to the family members to bear the irreparable loss. He will be cremated with full state honours today,” the statement said.
He was referred to as “Master Shyam” and cast his ballot in the first general elections held in India in January and February of 1952. In Himachal Pradesh, elections were held in the month of October 1951 while taking weather and snowfall into consideration. Since 1951, Negi has run in every election for the Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and municipal bodies.
Negi had been a national symbol since 2014. He was born in the Himachal Pradesh tribal district of Kinnaur in July 1917. In the Lok Sabha elections, he had cast 16 votes.
The centenarian, who is a teacher by trade, has cast a ballot in every election since 1951 and has never missed an opportunity to do so, according to the Chief Electoral Office of Himachal.
The 106-year-old implored the nation’s citizens to utilise their right to vote on the day he cast his final ballot in order to support the democratic system.
He said that we should be proud of our right to vote because it aids in selecting the best representative to govern the country, saying that young voters “should consider their duty to vote and contribute to strengthening the nation.”
A red carpet was arranged to transport him to the postal booth placed up in the compound of his home, according to district election officer and deputy commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq.
“Negi was brought on a red carpet till the booth where he exercised his right to franchise and soon thereafter his vote was sealed in an envelope and dropped in the ballot box,” Sadiq said.
The first voter in Independent India was honoured by Sadiq, the returning officer cum SDM Kalpa, Major (retd) Dr. Shashank Gupta, and the other officers and officials of the district government.
The centenarian voter had also received congratulations from the Chief Electoral Officer.