Former Union Minister Kabindra Purkayastha, who helped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strike roots in Assam in the 1980s, died on Wednesday (January 7, 2026) due to age-related ailments. He was 94.
He is survived by his son Kanad Purkayastha, a Rajya Sabha member, and a daughter. His wife predeceased him.
“Kabindra Purkayastha was hospitalised a few days ago. He was kept on ventilation,” a Silchar Medical College and Hospital spokesperson said, confirming his death.
A three-time MP from southern Assam’s Silchar constituency, the late Purkayastha served as a Minister in the first Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1998-99.
He retired from electoral engagements in 2014, but continued to be involved in political, educational, and social activities. In 2024, the Silchar-based Assam University conferred an honorary doctorate on him in recognition of his life and achievements.
