Hours after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his condolences, at the sad demise of the veteran leader, in a message to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Putin evoked Vajpayee saying that he made a major contribution towards the friendly relationship and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia.
The President conveyed words of sincere sympathy and support to the family of the deceased, government and people of the nation.
The message read, “Atal Bihari Vajpayee rightly commanded great respect around the world. He will be remembered as a politician who made a major personal contribution to the friendly relations and privileged strategic partnership between our countries.”
Several leaders from around the world also condoled the death of the veteran leader. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the relationship between the two countries continues to benefit from the former leader's vision, which helped promote expanded cooperation
The former prime minister passed away at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness. Vajpayee, who was the country's 10th Prime Minister, will be laid to rest at the Smriti Sthal on Friday evening.
He breathed his last at 5.05 pm at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
“It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 05:05pm on 16.08.2018. Shri Vajpayee was admitted in AIIMS on 11.06.2018 and was stable in the last 9 weeks under the care of a team of AIIMS doctors,” read the statement released by AIIMS.
It further read, “Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the Nation in deeply mourning this great loss.”
