An old family photo in which Sudan Kiranti and his sister as a child is being held by his father Harka Bahadur Rai and mother Rakshya Kumari. (Source: Facebook, Sudan Kiranti)

Kathmandu,Aug 23: Harka Bahadur Rai, father of Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister Sudan Kirati passed away on Wednesday morning amidst the treatment.

Aged 76, late Rai was suffering from an illness from a long period of time and was undergoing treatment in Bir Hospital. The news of his death was confirmed by Minister's Secretariat.

As the Secretariat said, ''the mortal remains of the Minister's father will be taken to his ancestral home at Okhre village in Bhojpur, the district in Koshi Province, today to perform last rites.''

Minister Kiranti broadcasting the news from facebook writes; “from today we are completely orphaned, but I cannot become an orphan out of duty. I will spend the rest of my life in the service of all Nepalese.”