New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS): The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned on Friday for half an hour as a mark of respect to sitting member Ashok Gasti and former member Kapila Vatsayan, who passed away recently.

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) newly elected Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka Ashok Gasti succumbed to coronavirus at a private hospital in the city, an official said on Thursday night. He was 55.

"Gasti passed away at 10.31 p.m. He was critically ill with multi-organ failure on a life support system in the intensive care unit," Manipal Hospital director Manish Rai said in a statement here.

Gasti was elected unopposed to the Upper House on June 12 along with Iranna Kadadi of the BJP. Gasti took oath as a member of the Upper House on July 22.

Kapila Vatsyayan, former MP, a major scholar of art, architecture, Indian classical dance and Founding Director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, passed away at the age of 92 at her home in New Delhi on Wednesday.