The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the passing away of veteran actor Shri Om Puri.

In a message to his son, Shri Ishaan Puri, the President has said, "I am sad to learn about the passing away of your father, Shri Om Puri.

A veteran and iconic actor, Shri Om Puri delighted fans all over the world with his masterful screen presence and performance. For his contribution to Indian Cinema, he was honoured with numerous awardsincluding the prestigious ‘Padma Shri’ in the year 1990. In the passing away of Shri Om Puri, the Indian film industry has lost a highly talented and acclaimed actor who played memorable roles in numerous movies. He shall always be remembered for his powerful and versatile acting, which brought life into the celluloid characters he played in films. His sad demise has left a huge void in the field of Indian film industry, which will be difficult to fill.

Please accept my heartfelt condolences and convey them to all members of your family. I pray to the Almighty to give your family and you the strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss”.

This release issued at 2040 hrs.