Former President R Venkataraman, who ushered in three Prime Ministers in two years when coalition politics made its advent in India in late eighties, died today following multiple organ failure.
The 98-year-old former President, who was admitted to the army hospital on January 12 with complaints of Urosepsis (a toxic condition caused by the extravasation of urine into bodily tissues), died at 1430 hours.
"The former President passed away at around 1430 hours. His wife and son-in-law were beside him when he breathed his last," the hospital's administrative head Brigadier A K Sharma told PTI.
Venkataraman had served as the eighth President of the country. His tenure was from July 25, 1987 to July 25, 1992.