Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Biren Singh Engti passed away on the morning of March 10 at the age of 81.

Born on March 2, 1945, in Karbi Anglong, Engti was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress (INC). He represented the Diphu Lok Sabha constituency in five general elections 1977, 1984, 2009, and twice in 2014.

Engti served in the Rajiv Gandhi ministry, holding portfolios including Minister of State for the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, and the Ministry of Planning and Programme Implementation between 1986 and 1989.

Known for his long-standing service to Assam’s hill regions, Engti played a key role in the development of Karbi Anglong and remained a prominent figure in the state’s hill politics for decades.