Former Indian leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies at 93

Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the country's tenth, died Thursday in New Delhi. He was 93.

Vajpayee was admitted to the hospital in June for a urinary tract infection and chest congestion. His condition worsened and ultimately turned fatal.

The hospital said Vajpayee's condition "deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today."

Vajpayee, who served as prime minister in three stints between 1996 and 2004, was a founding member of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which governs India.

"India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet. "He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti."

The government announced seven days of state mourning to honor the former prime minister.

"The United States grieves with India on the loss of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee," the U.S. Embassy in India said in a statement Thursday. "He will be remembered for his immense contribution in bolstering U.S.-India relations.

During his tenure, Prime Minister Vajpayee advocated for a robust partnership with the United States, referring to us as natural allies."