'Bharat Ratna' Atal Bihari Vajpayee passes away. He was 93

New Delhi : Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took his last breath at 5:05 pm on Thursday at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was 93.

AIIMS in its press note said,

"It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 05:05 pm on 16.08.2018.

Shri Vajpayee was admitted in AIIMS on 11.06.2018 and was stable in the last 9 weeks under the care of a team of AIIMS doctors.

Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best efforts, we have lost him today.

We join the nation in deeply mourning this great loss."

Mr. Vajpayee was admitted in hospital for over 8 weeks due to prolonged illness; and was on life support for more than 40 hours due to critical condition.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP brass, including its President Amit Shah, Chief Ministers and leaders of other parties, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, made a beeline to the hospital where he was admitted on June 11.

A wave of shock and grief has taken over the nation with people pouring in their last wishes to India's favourite Prime Minister and poet.