Former Chief Justice of India Ranganath Mishra died at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Thursday night following prolonged illness, family sources said.

He was 86 and survived by wife Sumitra Mishra.

A legal luminary, Mishra had been admitted to the hospital on May 22 following old-age related ailments and the end came on Thursday night.

A multi-faceted personality closely associated with writing and cultural activities, Mishra was born on November 25, 1926. He had enrolled as an advocate of Orissa high court in 1950 after a brief stint in teaching and handled all types of cases at Cuttack.

He was appointed a permanent judge of the Orissa high court in 1969 and became acting Chief Justice of Orissa high court in 1980 and a permanent Chief Justice from January 1981.

Mishra was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court on March 15, 1983 and rose to become the Chief Justice of India in September 25, 1990 and held the post till November 24, 1991.

Besides being a Rajya Sabha member from 1998 to 2004, Mishra was also the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Mishra's grandson is expected to arrive from New Delhi on Friday after which a decision about his cremation would be taken, sources said.