Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral passed away this afternoon in Gurgaon near New Delhi after prolonged illness. He was 92. Mr Gujral was the 12th Prime Minister of the country. The former Prime Minister is survived by two sons. The Government has declared a seven-day national mourning as a mark of respect to the departed leader. He will be given a state funeral. This was decided in a special Cabinet meeting convened by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to pay tributes to the late leader. The Cabinet placed on record its deep sense of grief at the demise of Mr Gujral and extended its sincere condolences on behalf of the entire nation to the bereaved family. Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister. Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde informed both the Houses about the sad demise of Mr. Gujral.

The President, Vice President, Prime Minister and UPA Chairperson among other senior political leaders have condoled his death. In his message, the President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee expressed grief over Mr. Gujral's demise. Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari described him as a distinguished leader and outstanding public figure. The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said that Mr Gujral was a man of peace, an idealist who lived by his principles and an intellectual with the human touch. UPA Chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in her message said that Gujral contributed richly to so many aspects of the country's progress and development. Union Information & Broadcasting Minister, Manish Tewari, in his condolence message, said that Mr. Gujral’s passing away is a great loss to the nation.

Here is a tribute to Former Prime Minister I K Gujral from All India Radio.

Born on 4th December 1919 in Jhelum in the undivided Punjab, now in Pakistan, Inder Kumar Gujral participated in India's freedom struggle. He was jailed in 1942 during the Quit India Movement. In 1975 he was Information and Broadcasting Minister. Later, Gujral was appointed Ambassador to the Soviet Union. He left the Congress Party in the mid- 1980s and joined the Janta Dal. In the 1989 elections, Gujral was elected from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat in Punjab. He served as External Affairs Minister in V P Singh's Cabinet and also in the United Front government. In 1992 Gujral was elected to the Rajya Sabha. In 1996, he propounded the doctrine for better relations with neighbouring countries known as Gujral Doctrine. He became Prime Minister on 21st April 1997 and was in office till March 1998 in the United Front government.

During the Prime Ministership of Mr. Gujral, Prasar Bharati Act was passed to confer autonomy to Akashvani and Doordarshan for ensuring fair and objective coverage by them.

The body of Mr. Gujral will be kept for public to pay respects at his residence at Janpath in central Delhi tomorrow morning and will be cremated at 3 pm near Samta Sthal, the memorial of late Jagjivan Ram.