Former Assam CM Hiteshwar Saikia's wife remembers Manmohan Singh: "...close friend of my husband"

Former Assam Chief Minister Hiteshwar Saikia's wife, Hemoprova Saikia, expressed condolences over the demise of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's demise, calling it a great loss for the country. 

Recalling memories and moments spent with Singh, a close friend of Saikia, Hemoprova said, "His demise is a great loss for the country... He was a close friend of my husband...After the death of my husband, he continued to be a close member of our family...He was a great personality."

Singh lived at House No. 3989, in Nandan Nagar of Guwahati after he was elected to Rajya Sabha in 1991. 

His residential address was a rented ground-floor apartment in the house of Hiteswar Saikia in the Sarumotoria area in Guwahati. 

The former prime minister served as a Rajya Sabha member from Assam for five consecutive terms, from 1991 to 2019. 

The Assam government has also declared a seven-day state mourning in honour of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday. 

The state mourning, beginning from December 26 will last till January 1, 2025.