The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has conveyed his condolences on the passing away offormer Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Sushil Koirala.

In his message to the President of Nepal, Her Excellency Smt. Bidya Devi Bhandari, the President said, "I was deeply saddened to learn of the sad demise of former Prime Minister of Nepal and the leader of the Nepali Congress Shri Sushil Koirala. In his passing away, Nepal has lost a leader who dedicated his life to Nepal’s progress and development. He led Nepal during the crucial period of political transition and Constitution promulgation. The simplicity of his life holds a lesson for all of us.

Shri Sushil Koirala worked tirelessly to foster the close and multifaceted relations between India and Nepal. Under his stewardship of the Government of Nepal, considerable progress was achieved in the fields of hydropower and connectivity.

The people of India share the sorrow and grief of the people of Nepal over the loss of Shri Sushil Koirala.

Please accept my heartfelt condolences. I would request Your Excellency to kindly convey my deepest sympathies to all members of the Koirala family”.

This Press Release issued at 1230 hrs.