President of India Condoles the Passing Away of Mr. Shimon Peres, Former President of State of Israel

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the passing away of former President of the State of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres.

In a message to His Excellency Mr. Reuven Rivlin, the President of State of Israel, the President said, "I was deeply saddened to learn of the demise of Mr. Shimon Peres, former President of the State of Israel. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.

In his passing, Israel has lost a statesman who made courageous efforts to achieve peace for his country and the region. The worldwide admiration and accolades that he received for his work - including the Noble Peace Prize, are a testimony to the values that he stood for. Mr. Peres was a visionary who strongly believed in the power of knowledge, innovation and technology.

We, in India, remember Mr. Peres as a steadfast friend of our country, whose lasting contribution to the strengthening of the close bilateral partnership between India and Israel will be long remembered.

I warmly recall my last meeting with him in October, 2015, during my recent visit to Israel.

I would request you, Excellency, to kindly convey my deepest sympathies to his bereaved family. May the Almighty give them the strength to bear this loss”.

This Press Release issued at 1315 hrs.