The Prime Minister has condoled the death of the country's first National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra saying the nation has lost a towering pillar of its strategic community. Mishra, who would have turned 84 today, died on Friday night.

In a condolence message, Dr.Manmohan Singh expressed his deep sadness over the passing away of Brajesh Mishra and said as the first National Security Advisor Mishra brought to the job his breadth of strategic vision, diplomatic finesse and a sense of India’s destiny and place in global affairs. He said Mishra will be remembered for his masterly handling of the aftermath of the nuclear tests in 1998 and for guiding Vajpayee’s peace initiatives in the neighbourhood.