Nation has lost eminent public figure: President

NEW DELHI - President Pratibha Patil Sunday condoled the death of Marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu and said “the nation has lost a veteran and eminent public figure”.

Patil said Basu was a leader “who displayed his abilities as a leader of the people, an able administrator and eminent statesman”.

“Jyoti Basu earned the unique distinction of being the longest serving chief minister of any state from the late 70s to the year 2000,” the president said in a statement.

“In the years after he relinquished the chief ministership, he continued to be looked upon as an elder statesman, whose advice was sought by many political leaders in the state,” she added.