Pranab Mukherjee dies at 84: Here are some lesser known facts about the former President of India

Former president Pranab Mukherjee passed away on Monday, Aug 31. The condition of Mukherjee declined on Monday morning and he has suffered a septic shock due to his lung infection

Here are some lesser known facts about Pranab Mukherjee

Pranab Mukherjee started his career as a clerk in the office of the Deputy Accountant-General in Kolkata.

Mukherjee was once a professor and taught Political Science at the Vidyanagar College in South 24 Paraganas, West Bengal, in 1963

He also worked as a journalist with a local Bengali newspaper, named Desher Dak

Mukherjee is a religious man and performs puja every morning before work. Even though, he is a ‘compulsive workaholic’ who is very much devoted to his work, he does not attend work calls while performing his puja

He was introduced to politics in 1969 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who guided him to become a member at the Rajya Sabha

Pranab Mukherjee is the only minister to have handled four major ministries, defence, commerce, foreign and finance.

Mukherjee was voted the Best Finance Minister in the World by Euromoney magazine in 1984.

Mukherjee is the only Finance Minister to serve the post both, in the Pre-Liberisation and Post-Liberisation eras.

As a President, Mukherjee has rejected many mercy petitions including that of Yakub Memon, Ajmal Kasab, and Afzal Guru.