New Delhi, Nov 28 :The Central Government has announced a seven-day state mourning from Friday as a mark of respect to the former Prime Minister V. P. Singh.

The state funeral will take place at Sangam in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

Singh died at the Apollo Hospital here on Thursday after a long illness. He was 77 and is survived by his wife of Sita Kumari and two sons Ajeya and Abhai.

On hearing of his demise, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, expressed grief and said he was deeply saddened to learn about Singh''''s death.

In his death, India has lost a great patriot and a builder of our nation whose empathy for the weaker sections would always be etched in our national consciousness, said Dr. Singh.