Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today described Sasmita Rana, who died at Sishu Bhavan in Cuttack a day after his visit, as the bravest girl he ever met.

Expressing grief over the death of the little girl from Raitala village in Odisha's tribal dominated Keonjhar district, Gandhi tweeted, "Sasmita Rana -- the bravest little girl I ever met died at Sishubhawan in Cuttack today. She remained proud and strong against all odds."

"My thoughts are with her mother and family in this time of grief," he added.

The seven-year-old succumbed to aplastic anemia on Saturday, a day after meeting Gandhi. The Congress leader had come in contact with the girl during his visit to Sishu Bhavan in Cuttack on September 11. He went to Sishu Bhavan after being informed about the death of more than 60 infants in a span of 12 days last month.

Photograph: PTI