Murosoli Maran passes away

Chennai: Murasoli Maran, a minister without portfolio in the union cabinet, died at the Apollo Hospital here yesterday after a prolonged illness. He was 69 and is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. The funeral took place today.

Maran underwent an emergency valve replacement surgery in September 2002 and has been in hospital since then. In November last, he was flown to the US and admitted to the Methodist Hospital and Research Institute in Houston, Texas. He was brought back to Chennai on 7 September and readmitted to the Apollo Hospital, where he breathed his last evening.

A former commerce and industry minister, Maran was made a minister without portfolio in the cabinet reshuffle in November 2002. He was the nephew of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi.