Port Blair: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on January 19 condoled the death of Harivanshrai Bachchan, father of megastar Amitabh Bachchan, describing him as a great poet.

"Harivanshrai Bachchan was a great poet and Hindi lovers will always remember him," he said in a condolence message.

"I express my heartfelt condolence to members of Bachchan family," Vajpayee said.

Harivanshrai, 96, died at his residence in Mumbai on January 18 night after a prolonged illness.

PTI