India declares state mourning on Sunday for Queen Elizabeth II

New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) The Government of India has decalred one-day state mourning as a mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Thursday at the age of 96.The national flag will be flown at half-mast on Sunday throughout India and there will be no official entertainment programme on that day, a statement issued by the government said on Friday. Britain is observing 10-day state mourning for Queen Elizabeth II. Britain's royal family will observe a period of mourning that will end on the seventh day after the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The date of the funeral is yet to be decided. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, among others, have expressed condolences at the demise of Queen Elizabeth II. In their messages, they noted that she was a stalwart of our times; a compassionate personality and provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people.The famed 'dabbawala' (tiffin-carrier) community of Mumbai, meanwhile, mourned the passing away of the Queen on Friday. The Chairman of Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association Charitable Trust, Ulhas Muke, said the dabbawalas of Mumbai shared a close association with Britain's royal family.Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, also mourned the demise of Britain's longest serving monarch who had been heir to the crown for 70 years.
--IANS skp/arm

(Disclaimer: This post has been auto published from IANS news agency without any modification to the text and has not been reviewed by editor)