President condoles Venkataraman's death

President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday expressed deep condolences over the demise of former president R Venkataraman.

In her message, Patil said the nation has lost a true patriot and distinguished luminary.

The 98-year old former president, who was admitted to the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) on January 12 with complaints of Urosepsis (a toxic condition caused by the extravasation of urine into bodily tissues), breathed his last at 1430 hours on Tuesday.