National Mourning Today After Manohar Parrikar's Death, Says Centre

Manohar Parrikar's body is to be kept at the BJP head office in Panaji in the morning

Following the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the centre has announced a national mourning today and declared the National Flag will fly at half-mast across the country.

The four-time chief minister will be accorded a state funeral. Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be going to Goa to be a part of the funeral. A meeting of the Union Cabinet has been called at 10am as well.

Goa has announced a seven-day mourning after the chief minister's death. All schools and educational institutions in the state will be shut today and all examinations have been postponed.

Manohar Parrikar's body is to be kept at the BJP head office in Panaji in the morning.

People will pay their final respects to the former defence minister from 11am to 4pm at Kala Academy in the state capital.

The funeral procession will begin at 4pm and the last rites will performed at 5pm at SAG grounds in Campal, approximately 4km from Panaji.

Manohar Parrikar died today at the age of 63 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer at his son's house in Goa. Condolences poured in from across the country with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him the "builder of modern Goa."

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also expressed his condolences on Twitter.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year. Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief," he said.