Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief at the death of retired Indian Information Service(IIS)officer and Press Secretary to former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, S M Khan, calling it "irreparable loss to the society".

In his message to bereaved family Thursday from Guyana where he was on the last leg of five-day and three-nation visit, Modi said Khan was a hardworking and dedicated officer of Indian Information Service and worked in various departments.

"With his experience and expertise, he handled various challenging responsibilities with dedication. His humane approach and nature taking everyone along was worth mentioning," the Prime Minister said.

He will be remembered for his efforts for needy people and his demise is an "irreparable loss to the society," he said.

"It is difficult to put in words the pain of loneliness in your life. He is not in this world in physical form but his memories and values will always be with the family," Modi said.

A distinguished officer, who was spokesperson for the Central Bureau of Investigation for 15 years before joining as press secretary to former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Khan died at a private hospital on Sunday after a brief illness.

Throughout his tenure, he became the face of the CBI, regularly addressing the media during high-profile cases, including the Bofors scandal, stock exchange scams and various white-collar crimes.

Following his extensive service with the CBI, Khan was appointed as the press secretary to the late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, a role in which he further solidified his reputation in public communication.  After Kalam's term, Khan moved to a prestigious position as the director general of News at Doordarshan.

In addition to his notable career in public service, Khan authored a book titled "People's President," which was released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also held the position of vice president and trustee at the India Islamic and Cultural Centre, contributing to cultural dialogue and community development.