India Declares One-Day Mourning for Former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad; PM Modi Remembers Him As 'True Friend'

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Delhi declared a one-day national mourning on Monday, July 13, as a mark of respect for former Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Sheikh Hamad, known as Father Emir of Qatar, passed away on Saturday at the age of 74. He ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, and is credited with ushering in socio-economic development in the energy-rich Gulf nation.The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the government declared one-day national mourning on Monday as a mark of respect for Sheikh Hamad."The national flag will be flown at half-mast on the day of mourning throughout India on all buildings where it is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on the day," it said in a statement.

Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is expected to visit Qatar "shortly" to convey condolences on behalf of the government of India to the State of Qatar, it said.

'Remember Him As A True Friend': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a "visionary leader". The prime minister extended his "sincerest condolences" to the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and to the royal family and the Qatari people on the demise of Sheikh Hamad."We feel profound sadness at the death of the Father Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani," PM Modi said on social media."He was a visionary leader who guided Qatar to great levels of development and prosperity. We also remember him as a true friend whom I had the honour of meeting during my last visit to Qatar in February 2024," he said.He is said to have played a key role in deepening India-Qatar relations. As Emir, he visited India on multiple occasions - 1999, 2005 and 2012. Besides official visits, he also paid a number of personal visits to India, reports said. He last met PM Modi in February 2024.

Qatar Declares Four-Day Public Mourning

Qatar has already announced four-day-long public mourning for the late Father Emir. In 2013, Sheikh Hamad handed over power to his son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the current Emir of Qatar.(With PTI Inputs)