Prez pays tributes to people of Ladakh, Pt Bhimsen Joshi

President Pratibha Patil on Monday began her address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament by expressing sympathy with the people of cloudburst-hit Ladakh and said the government will complete the remaining tasks for their relief and rehabilitation with utmost urgency.

President Pratibha Patil on Monday began her address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament by expressing sympathy with the people of cloudburst-hit Ladakh and said the government will complete the remaining tasks for their relief and rehabilitation with utmost urgency.

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The President also paid tributes to legendary vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, who passed away last month, describing his death as a "national loss".

"Our heart goes out to the people of Ladakh, who suffered the consequences of a severe cloudburst, leading to an unprecedented loss of life and property," Patil said.

"My government has taken effective measures for the immediate relief and rehabilitation of the affected people and it stands committed to completing the remaining tasks with the utmost urgency," she said.

The disastrous cloudburst and flash floods in Ladakh in August last year had killed about 200 people and caused huge loss to property and infrastructure.

Patil also remembered Joshi, the Bharat Ratna awardee vocalist who passed away on January 24 at the age of 84.

"Recently, we suffered a national loss in the death of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. The void left by his death in the cultural life of our country will be difficult to fill," she said.