Chandigarh, Jul 20 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday mourned the demise of senior Congress leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, terming it the passing away of a political era.

He said he was "shocked and aggrieved" at the sudden demise of Dikshit, "a rare gem of a human being besides being a dignified and graceful politician" whom he had personally known for four decades.

Dikshit's presence will be sorely missed not just in the Congress but by the people of Delhi, where she had toiled during her three terms as Chief Minister, to build a modern, vibrant and dynamic new city to meet their aspirations, Amarinder Singh said in a statement.

He termed it a personal loss as she had "always been like an elder sister to him, in whom he found guidance and support in the difficult moments and decisions of his life", he added.

Dikshit passed away at a private hospital in Delhi following cardiac arrest, a party leader said. She was 81.