Date:13/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/13/stories/2006041317311200.htm

National

Kalam, PM condole death

NEW DELHI: President Abdul Kalam has condoled the death of Dr. Rajkumar and said the country had lost a versatile film actor.

"In the passing away of Rajkumar we have lost a versatile film actor. His talent was recognised by his being awarded the Dada Saheb Phalke Award. He will always be remembered for his everlasting contributions to the film industry,'' Mr. Kalam said in a condolence message to the late actor's wife Parvathamma.

PM expresses shock

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday expressed shock and grief over the passing away of the Kannada thespian and said the world of Indian cinema had lost a distinguished actor whose achievements would be remembered for long.

In a message, Dr. Singh described the famous actor as a versatile personality who has enthralled the nation with his histrionic talents and his mellifluous voice over the past five decades or more.

Expressing profound grief at Dr. Rajkumar's demise, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said the film world had become poorer following his demise.

Maharashtra Governor S.M. Krishna expressed deep shock at the demise Dr. Rajkumar. ``No words are adequate to describe the loss of Rajkumar from this world. He was the rarest of rare phenomena to have happened to the Kannada film industry and the Indian film world at large,'' the Governor said in a release.