Bangalore: Veteran freedom fighter and Gandhian Nitoor Srinivasa Rao died at his residence in Bangalore today (Aug 12, 2004) after a brief illness, his family sources said. He was 101.

Rao, a former Chief Justice of the State High Court, was also a well known thinker who had remained active in public life till the end and was a familiar face in public functions.

Taking a plunge into the freedom movement at the call of Mahatma Gandhi, he was also actively associated with the struggle for which he had suffered imprisonment also.

He also had the credit of being the country's first vigilance commissioner between 1964 and 1968.

Rao was associated with Gandhi Peace Foundation and Gokhale Institute of Public Affairs and had played a role in shaping some other institutions. He was also the acting Governor of the erstwhile Mysore for a brief period in 1963.

Chief Minister N Dharam Singh expressed grief over the demise of Rao and placed a wreath on his body.