Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by the death of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, calling the late leader a “true patriot and exceptional administrator”.
Parrikar breathed his last at his private residence at Dona Paula on Sunday evening. He had been suffering from pancreatic cancer for quite a while.
“A true patriot and exceptional administrator, he was admired by all. His impeccable service to the nation will be remembered by generations,” Modi said on Twitter.
“Shri Manohar Parrikar was an unparalleled leader,” he said.
In a following tweet, the prime minister called Parrikar the builder of modern India. “Thanks to his affable personality and accessible nature, he remained the preferred leader of the state for years. His pro-people policies ensured Goa scales remarkable heights of progress,” Modi said.
India will be eternally grateful to Parrikar for his tenure as our defence minister, Modi said in another tweet.
“When he was RM, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India’s security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen,” the prime minister further said.
Parrikar had been unwell since February 2018 when he was diagnosed with a pancreatic ailment.
