I am deeply grieved to learn of the sad demise of Smt. Usha Narayanan, former First Lady of India.

A gracious and gifted personality she was one of the outstanding First Ladies of our Republic. Her passion for reading and writing was best reflected in her numerous literary pieces which included the translation of several Burmese stories to English. A collection of her translated stories brought out in the volume "Sweet and Sour" testifies to her rich literary taste and bent of mind. A caring and compassionate person, she met the representatives of the victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots when they visited New Delhi and personally attended to them. Well known for her passion for gardening she took the novel step of introducing several European flowers such as Tulip to the Mughal Gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. She was the constant source of inspiration to Late President K.R. Narayanan and played a key role in several aspects of his remarkable life and career. An indomitable fighter for the rights and empowerment of women, she will be long remembered for her profound pronouncements on gender equality. In her unfortunate passing away, the country has lost a cultivated, cultured and civilized person, whose commitment to Indian values shaped her personality, universal outlook and identity.

On this said occasion, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Ms. Chitra and Ms. Amrita, her worthy daughters, other members of her bereaved family, her countless friends, associates and her admirers. May the Providence rest her soul in peace and give strength and fortitude to her family members to bear this irreparable loss.