Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) acting president CK Khanna on Saturday condoled the death of former finance minister Arun Jaitley.
Jaitley had also served as the president of Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) in the past. Expressing grief over the passing away of Jaitley, Khanna said: "It is indeed a very sad day for the whole of India as we have lost Arun Jaitley ji to a long and tough battle with health".
"A truly humble, self-made man who rose to greats heights, and has etched a place for himself in the history of modern India, with his genius, grit, charisma and commitment. It is a deep personal loss for me. Our association goes back to our college days in Shri Ram College Of Commerce where we worked together, he as the President, and me as the General Secretary of the College Union," Khanna said.
"I also had the privilege of inviting and closely working him in the Cricket Administration in DDCA and BCCI. His contribution in the field of cricket shall be remembered forever. Today the Nation has truly lost a great Statesman and I have personally lost a very dear friend. May his soul find peace. Om Shanti," he added.
The former finance minister passed away at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was 66.
Earlier in the day, confirming the senior leader's demise, Protocol Division of AIIMS stated that Jaitley breathed his last on Saturday afternoon.
Jaitley was admitted to the AIIMS earlier this month after he complained of restlessness. He was placed under observation at the hospital's Cardio-Neuro-Centre.
Jaitley, first became a Cabinet minister in the government of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2000. He then also went on to serve as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from June 2009.
He was appointed the finance minister in the first term of Modi government in 2014. He opted out of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections citing health reasons.
( With inputs from ANI )