India declares one-day mourning for former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani

India is observing a one-day national mourning today, July 13, as a mark of respect following the demise of former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The Ministry of External Affairs announced that the National Flag will be flown at half-mast across the country and that no official entertainment events will be held during the mourning period. Sheikh Hamad, who ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, was instrumental in the country's rapid economic, social, and cultural transformation, including the adoption of Qatar’s first permanent constitution and the introduction of municipal elections that allowed women to vote and contest.