Noted cardiologist Nitu Mandke, 52, died of a cardiac arrest at the Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai on Thursday afternoon.

He was admitted to the hospital on Monday night after he complained of chest pain.

The last rites are expected to be performed on Friday.

He left behind his wife, Alka, a son and two daughters.

Alka, who is an anaesthetist, was at his bedside when he breathed his last.

Dr Girish Verma a well-known heart surgeon, told rediff.com: "He was an excellent surgeon. His death has left a void. As a surgeon he was very helpful to his colleagues and was good to them."

Dr Mandke served as president of the Cardiac Surgeon's Association of India.

"He did good job for our association and is very well remembered among all the surgeons of our country," added Dr Verma.

"He was a great doctor and an excellent surgeon. And therefore he was very popular among everyone."

Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi was full of praise for the doctor.

"It is a personal loss to me. He was a very good human being. I pray to god for his family. Let god give them strength to overcome this crisis in their lives," he said after visiting Dr Mandke's family.

The Brihanmummbai Municipal Corporation Mayor Mahadeo Deole and Bharatiya Janata Party Mumbai unit president Vinod Tawde also came to offer condolences.

Among others, Dr Mandke had treated Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.