President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders across the political spectrum on Monday condoled the demise of former president Pranab Mukherjee, hailing him as a scholar par excellence who served the nation with diligence.

Mukherjee died on Monday in an army hospital here, his son Abhijit said. He was 84.
He was admitted to hospital on August 10 and a health bulletin this morning said he was in a deep coma and on ventilator support.