Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy: 'SP Balasubrahmanyam must be bestowed with a Bharat Ratna'

Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy has appealed to the Union Cabinet to grant late SP Balasubrahmanyam a posthumous Bharat Ratna award. He appealed to PM Modi for the same while calling the demise of the late singer 'a great loss for the art world' and that he 'must be bestowed with a Bharat Ratna'. On September 25 at 1:04 pm, legendary singer-musician SP Balasubrahmanyam passed away in Chennai at the age of 74 after a month-long battle at MGM Healthcare Hospital. 

"SP Balasubramanyam's demise is a great loss for the art world. I appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the late singer must be bestowed with a posthumous Bharat Ratna award," said the Puducherry CM. 

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Speaking to ANI, V Narayanasamy said that in order to examine the culture of India, a committee has been set up to represent the Central Department of Culture, adding that no one from Puducherry has been included. "As Tamil Nadu did not include anyone from Puducherry in the committee, I have written a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to include people from all states and Union Territories in this committee," said CM V Narayanasamy. He also spoke about the Farm Bill protests in the Union Territory. He informed that the protest would take place in 7 places in Puducherry and 2 places in Karaikal and the COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed. 

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SP Balasubrahmanyam's Death

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SP Balasubrahmanyam was hospitalised at MGM Healthcare in August after testing positive for Coronavirus. Initially, he was doing well and only had mild symptoms but soon after his health deteriorated following which he was put on ventilator an ECMO support. Though SPB tested negative for COVID-19 on September 7, he was kept on the ventilator and ECMO support along with passive physiotherapy. On September 25 at 1:04 pm, SP Balasubrahmanyam passed away after suffering a cardio-respiratory stroke in the ICU of the Chennai hospital at the age of 74 years. On Friday, the mortal remains of the singer were brought to his farmhouse in Tamil Nadu’s Thamaraipakkam village of Thiruvallur district to perform the last rites.

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(With inputs from ANI)