Former president Pranab Mukherjee passed away on Monday at the age of 84.
Condolences started pouring in soon with President Ram Nath Kovind saying that Mukherjee’s demise was the “passing of an era”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a series of tweets, said that Mukherjee “has left an indelible mark on the development trajectory of our nation”. He added that as the President, Mukherjee made Rashtrapati Bhavan even more accessible to common citizens.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah shared messages of condolences. Singh said Mukherjee had tremendous knowledge about India’s history, diplomacy, public policy and defence and his demise is a “personal loss” for him.
Shah said Mukherjee’s “life will always be cherished for his impeccable service and indelible contribution to our motherland.”
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said Mukherjee “brought dignity and decorum to every post held by him during his long and distinguished public service”.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said “India loses an experienced and seasoned leader”.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also conveyed condolences.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said Mukherjee “was an elder brother to many of us who always gave ears to what others said irrespective of their party affiliation”.