Atal Bihari Vajpayee Dead: Nation Pays Last Respects to Former PM, Funeral at 4 PM Tomorrow

Politicos make a beeline at AIIMS to visit Vajpayee. Children across the country pray for his speedy recovery.

Updated: August 17, 2018 12:02 AM IST

By India.com News Desk

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New Delhi, Aug 16: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office, died here on Thursday after a prolonged illness, AIIMS authorities said. He was 93.

“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. 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,” Dr (Prof) Aarti Vij, chairperson media and protocol division of AIIMS said in a press statement while announcing the demise of the leader.

Vajpayee, a diabetic patient, was undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). His condition worsened further on Wednesday evening with leaders from across the political spectrum thronging the hospital and enquiring about his health.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition continues to remain the same. He is critical and on life support systems: AIIMS statement pic.twitter.com/OJKHHcTDSn — ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018

Vajpayee was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 11 with kidney tract infection, chest congestion, urinary tract infection and low urine output.

The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader, a diabetic, has only one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia.

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