The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has condoled the passing away of noted actress Suchitra Sen.

In a message, he said Ms. Sen had carved a special niche in the hearts of millions of Indians through her graceful cinematic presence. She was one of the first Indian artistes to win an international award at Moscow in 1963. Ms Sen's versatility and range of performances, in a career spanning nearly three decades, mark a unique contribution to Indian cinema, and to Bengali films in particular.