March 9: Former Bengal governor and industrialist Viren J. Shah died in Jordan today following a heart attack. He was 86.

Shah is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Shah was holidaying in Jordan with wife Anjana when he suffered the heart attack. His body will be brought back to Mumbai, where he lived, family sources said.

Shah became the Bengal governor in 1999, replacing acting governor Shyamal Kumar Sen. Shah completed his five-year term in December 2004.

Raj Bhavan sources said tonight that two officials would leave for Shah’s Mumbai home tomorrow to convey governor M.K. Narayanan’s condolence message to the bereaved family.

Manmohan Singh condoled Shah’s death. Expressing his sadness at the loss of a former colleague in Parliament and a close friend, the Prime Minister said he was a “distinguished parliamentarian who also rendered invaluable service in the field of industry and commerce”.

Born in Calcutta on May 12, 1926, Shah was educated at Bombay University.

Shah was elected to Parliament from Junagadh in Gujarat in 1967. He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha twice, from 1975 to 1981 and from 1990 to 1996.

He was the former chairman and managing director of Mukand Limited, which is engaged in the steel business. He held the position for 27 years from 1972. He was also a former treasurer of the BJP.