India's first 'untouchable' to attain high office dies

India’s former President KR Narayanan, the first “untouchable” from the caste system to occupy the country’s highest office in a validation of its democratic roots, died today. He was 85.

The soft-spoken, scholarly Narayanan was admitted to an army hospital in the capital on October 29 with pneumonia and kidney failure. He had been on life support system since October 31, said Defence Ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar.