New Delhi - Former Indian president Ramaswamy Venkataraman died Tuesday in a New Delhi hospital from multiple organ failure, officials said. He was 98

Venkataraman was admitted January 12 to an Indian army hospital in the capital with a urinary tract infection and sepsis.

"The former president passed away at 2:30 pm local time [0900 GMT]," a doctor at the hospital said. "He suffered from multiorgan failure and was on advanced life support systems, including ventilatory support and continuous haemodialysis."

Born December 4, 1910, Venkataraman was India's eighth president, serving from 1987 to 1992. He also served as vice president for nearly four years.

He was a member of the Indian National Congress party and was defence, finance and interior security minister in the 1980s.

Indian leaders, including President Pratibha Patil, offered their condolences.

"He served with distinction in various capacities in public life and ultimately rose to occupy the highest office of the nation," Patil said. "In his passing away, the nation has lost a true patriot and a distinguished luminary." (dpa)