India, March 17 -- Former Union Minister Dr. Debendra Pradhan, the father of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, passed away today. He was 84.

The senior BJP leader was suffering from protracted illness. He breathed his last at around 10.30 am at his son and Union Minister's residence in New Delhi.

The body is expected to reach Bhubaneswar at around 4 pm today. His last rites will be performed at Puri Swargadwar.

Dr. Debendra Pradhan, a doctor by profession, had served as the Minister of State for Surface Transport and Agriculture in NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee from 1999 to 2001.

Born on July 16 in 1941 to Maheswar Pradhan and mother Chandrama Debi, Dr. Pradhan completed his MBBS degree in 1966 from the SC...