Former Indian president Abdul Kalam passed away today after he was admitted to a hospital following a sudden illness.
Kalam, 84, was rushed to Bethany hospital in Nongrim Hills after he became ill at a lecture in the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad at around 6.30pm.
The former president is said to have suffered from a massive cardiac arrest.
Hospital soucrces said: "President Kalam was brought to the hospital at 7 pm. When he brought in there was no sign of life. He was taken to ICU to try and revive him, which was futile."
Union Home Secretary LC Goel the government will declare a seven-day national mourning Kalam had played a pivotal role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998.
For his achievements, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan and Bharat Ratna, and then he became the 11th President of India in 2002.
Kalam was born in Rameswaram on October 15, 1931, to a poor family. He was a bright student, and obtained a degree in aeronautical engineering.
He eventually went to supervising the development of India's guided missile programme.
