Death

On the evening of 25 November 1998, after a meeting with state cabinet, he was admitted to hospital that evening after he collapsed while visiting his ailing mother, who was suffering from paralysis, at the New Civil Hospital, Ahemdabad. He was operated upon the same night to remove a blood clot from the brain. Though surgery helped stabilize his condition, it began to deteriorate. He was put on a respirator. On 26 November after fighting a losing battle against brain hemorrhage for two days, Savjibhai Korat died at the New Civil Hospital at 4:25 p.m. on Thursday, 26 November 1998.^[2]

Later, Korat's body was taken to Gandhinagar where a guard of honour was given at a function in the Sachivalaya premises. Besides the chief minister, Governor Anshuman Singh, cabinet ministers and senior bureaucrats placed wreaths at Korat's bier. Around 7 p.m., the body was brought to the BJP headquarters at Khanpur, where party workers paid homage. Around 8:30 p.m., the body was flown to Rakjot by helicopter, from where it was taken by road to his native village Juni Sankdi in Jetpur district. On Friday morning, 27 November, the body was taken to Jetpur district panchayat office for public viewing. Korat's body was donated to Rajkot Medical College. Korat's family also donated his eyes soon after the death. The tricolor on the Sachivalaya building was brought to half-mast around 5 p.m. after Korat's death. A Cabinet meeting was convened at Gandhinagar in the evening that day where a resolution condoling Korat's death was adopted. Also, it was decided that government offices in Gandhinagar district, Ahmedabad city and Rajkot district would remain closed on that particular weekend. The state government also announced three-day state mourning, beginning Friday.^[3]