Live updates: Former President Pranab Mukherjee laid to rest with full military honours

The Governor said Mukherjee held the rare distinction of having served at different times as Foreign, Defence, Commerce and Finance Minister and was instrumental in spearheading important legislations such as Right to Information, Right to Employment, Food Security, setting up of UIDAI, Metro Rail, etc. "Pranab Mukherjee was a powerful orator, scholar, intellectual and a leader with enormous political prowess and was acclaimed for his role as a consensus builder on difficult national issues through his ability to forge unity amongst the diverse political parties that form part of Indias vibrant multi-party democracy," Harichandan noted.

Patnaik has described Mukherjee as an "illustrious son of India" and said, "his demise brings an end to glorious life"."Late Mukherjee had vast knowledge on almost all the issues and was insightful, prudent and balanced in all his approach to life. He had a distinguished political career and was respected and loved by all sections of society for his judicious decisions and unparalleled experience in governance. He will always be remembered for his exceptional ability to forge consensus on national issues," Patnaik said in an official statement.

"I am saddened to learn the passing away of former President of India, Mr.Pranab Mukherjee.We had a long association spanning decades.I had always admired the way he combined his sharp intellect with hard work. May his soul rest in peace," Gowda tweeted.

"Deeply saddened! A big loss for India. Former President of India Hon Shri #PranabMukherjee sir will be forever remembered for his work and contribution for the development of India,” he wrote on Twitter.

"Bharat Ratna and former President of India... A great loss to the Nation #PranabMukherjee Om Shanti," the actor tweeted.

"We have lost a great leader today. Prayers and strength to the family," the 33-year-old actor wrote.

"Our former president, a Bharat Ratna and a thorough gentleman… We shared a very warm and cordial relationship. Heartfelt condolences to the family," she tweeted.

“A thorough gentleman” and “a great statesman” is how film personalities, including melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, actors Ajay Devgn and Taapsee Pannu remembered former president Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away in the evening at the age of 84.

Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party patron Ram Vilas Paswan paid fond tributes to former president Pranab Mukherjee on Monday, remembering him as a stalwart with deep grasp of Indian polity who guided politicians across the ideological spectrum.Paswan, whose association with Mukherjee goes back by over five decades, said he was in a shock at his death and observed that there were few leaders as conversant with the constitutional mechanism and parliamentary rules and conventions as the former president was."He was always willing to help people about the correct way forward whenever one approached him. Whether it was his understanding of economy, our parliamentary system or political affairs, his knowledge and wisdom were unparalleled," Paswan said.

Expressing deep shock over the demise of former president Pranab Mukherjee, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Raoon Monday said the political stalwart had a special affinity with the Telangana issue.He said that Pranab Mukherjee, who headed the Committee on the separate Telangana State issue, formed by the then UPA government, had the distinction of signing the formation of Telangana State Bill.

The Election Commission (EC) on Monday expressed deep grief on the death of former President Pranab Mukherjee with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora describing the loss of the leader having "encyclopaedic knowledge".Expressing grief, Arora said "In his demise, the nation has lost a widely respected savant and a 'Rajrishi' known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of economic, constitutional and historical affairs."Recalling Mukherjee's specific association with the EC, Arora said despite failing health he had graciously accepted the Commission's invitation and delivered the first Sukumar Sen Memorial Lecture organised on January 23 this year.

He always gave priority to the country, rising above party politics. In this hour of grief, I express my deepest condolences to his family members. God bless his departed soul, he added in his tweet.