Russian Ambassador to India and Delhi’s diplomatic corps’ most prominent face for decades, Alexander Kadakin passed away at a hospital in Delhi on Thursday.
Mr. Kadakin, 67, had been ailing for a few weeks, and officials said he died of a heart attack on Thursday morning. Alexander Kadakin was known for his strong statements in support of India, especially on the issue of terrorism, and was a part of all major agreements between India and Russia, from the days of the Soviet Union and the India-Soviet treaty of friendship of 1971.
PM condoles
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to condole Mr. Kadakin’s death.
Mr. Modi tweeted that “He (Ambassador Kadakin) was an admirable diplomat, a great friend of India & a fluent Hindi speaker who tirelessly contributed to stronger India-Russia ties.” The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said the Ministry had lost a “valued friend”.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, called Ambassador Kadakin’s death a “personal loss”.
“His large-hearted personality, his deep love for India and his ability to strike up a real rapport with a wide cross-section of Indians won him countless friends in our country,” she said in a letter to the Russian Embassy.
