Former Indian President Abdul Kalam dies at 83

India's 11th President APJ Abdul Kalam died on Monday evening at 83 in a hospital in Meghalaya, where he had gone to deliver a lecture, India's NDTV reported.

The former President, who was in office from 2002 to 2007, had collapsed during the lecture at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong, around 6.30 pm. He was taken to the Bethany hospital. Doctors said he had suffered from a massive cardiac arrest.

"President Kalam was brought to the hospital at 7 pm. When he brought in there was no sign of life. He was taken to ICU to try and revive him, which was futile," hospital sources said.

The government will declare a seven-day national mourning, reported Press Trust of India, quoting Union Home Secretary LC Goel.