New Delhi, Jan. 27 : The President Pratibha Devisingh Patil expressed grief at the passing away of the former President Ramaswamy Venkataraman on Tuesday.

President Patil, in her condolence message, said that the nation lost a true patriot and a distinguished luminary with the death R. Venkataraman, who was a great parliamentarian and freedom fighter of the Quit India movement.

"Shri Venkataraman was a great parliamentarian and freedom fighter who actively participated in the Quit India Movement. I will always remember my personal interactions with him, especially when I was the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha," said President Pratibha Singh Patil in her condolence message.

"He served with distinction in various capacities in public life and ultimately rose to occupy the highest office of the nation. In his passing away, the nation has lost a true patriot and a distinguished luminary," the President stated.

Former President R. Venkataraman breathed his last on Tuesday at the Army Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi.

Ninty eight-year-old R. Venkataraman was hospitalised on January 12 with complaint of Urosepsis (a toxic condition caused by the extravasations of urine into bodily tissues.

He was suffering from multi-organ failure and was on advanced life support systems including ventilatory support and continuous hemodialysis," an official of the hospital said.

Venkataraman served as the eighth President of the Republic of India, from 1987 to 1992. He served nearly four years as the 7th Vice-President before being elected as the President of the country. (ANI)