India's three-time prime minister Vajpayee dies at 93
Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS on June 11 following kidney tract infection, chest congestion, urinary tract infection and low urine output, indicating impaired kidney functions. PHOTO:REUTERS
Three-time Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has died, current leader Narendra Modi said Thursday of the ailing 93-year-old who had been hospitalised.
"Atal Ji's passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me," Modi said in a tweet Thursday, using a Hindi-language honorific.
"It was Atal Ji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century."
Former India prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee 'critical'
Vajpayee had battled poor health for years but his condition deteriorated sharply in recent days.
The former premier was being treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, where he was admitted nine weeks ago with health complications.
"Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best efforts, we have lost him today," AIIMS said in a statement.
"We join the nation in deeply mourning this great loss."
His waning health sparked a flurry of visits from top dignitaries Thursday, including Modi and senior cabinet ministers.
Vajpayee, a former journalist and poet-turned-politician, was credited with helping lay the foundations for the meteoric rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the right-wing political powerhouse that rules India today.
Reaction on social media
Condolences poured in soon after the news of the sad demise broke. Celebrities and common people paid tribute to the legendary South Asian leader in their own way.
The Foreign Office spoke out by expressing its sadness over his passing.
The Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said that Vajpayee was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations, as well as, remaining a key supporter of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and regional cooperation for development.
"The government and people of Pakistan extend their heartfelt condolences to his family and to the government and people of India," the statement reads.