Pranab Mukherjee died at 84 after weeks in coma following brain surgery. (File)
Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee posted a moving farewell to her father today, quoting Rabindranath Tagore.
The former President died at 84 after weeks in coma following brain surgery. He had also tested positive for the coronavirus. Over the past few days, his health worsened because of a lung infection and renal complications.
"Shobare aami pronam kore jayi (I bow to all). Baba, taking the liberty to quote from your favourite poet to say your final goodbye to all. You have led a full, meaningful life in service of the nation, in service of our people. I feel blessed to have been born as your daughter," Sharmistha Mukherjee tweeted.
Ms Mukherjee, a Congress leader, had remembered a few days ago that this time last year, Pranab Mukherjee had received India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.
News of the former President's death was confirmed by his son Abhijit Mukherjee, who tweeted: "With a Heavy Heart , this is to inform you that my father Shri Pranab Mukherjee has just passed away inspite of the best efforts of Doctors of RR Hospital and prayers, duas and prarthanas from people throughout India! I thank all of You."
In the morning, the Army Research and Referral Hospital, where Mr Mukherjee had been on ventilator support since his surgery, had said in its bulletin that he had gone into septic shock and a team of doctors were trying to stabilise him.
Abhijit Mukherjee had then tweeted urging everyone to pray for his father.
President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tribute to Mr Mukherjee, a lifelong Congressman who earned bipartisan respect in his long career in politics.
PM Modi said he had been "blessed" to receive support and guidance from Mr Mukherjee when he first became Prime Minister in 2014. Praising him as a "scholar par excellence (and) a towering statesman", PM Modi said Mr Mukherjee's loss would be felt deeply by the nation.