Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been cremated with full state honours at Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. State funeral is being accorded to the poet leader. The tricolor wrapped around mortal remains of Vajpayee has been handed over to his family.
The last rites are being performed by Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's daughter Namita Bhattacharya at Smriti Sthal.
Delhi: Tricolour wrapped around mortal remains of Atal Bihari Vajpayee handed over to his granddaughter Niharika.
Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and Sri Lanka acting Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella pay last respects to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal.
President Ram Nath Kovind pays last respects to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal in Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays last respects to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal. Vajpayee has been given 'Salami Shastra'- a gun salute as final farewell underway to the tune of mantras. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba & Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, pay last tribute to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal in Delhi.
PM Narendra Modi pays last respects to former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee at Smriti Sthal pic.twitter.com/Yd62t8atlH— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018
Political leaders including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Rahul Gandhi have arrived at Smriti Sthal for the funeral of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Last rites ceremony of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal: Watch LIVE
Mortal remains of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee brought to Smriti Sthal for the funeral. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Ashok Gehlot and Raj Babbar gather at Smriti Sthal for the funeral of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Ashok Gehlot and Raj Babbar, at Smriti Sthal for the funeral of former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee pic.twitter.com/9Lvhfxj2ap— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018
The last rites of Atal Bihari Vajpayee have begun at Smriti Sthal. He will be cremated with full state honours.
#WATCH live from Delhi: Last rites ceremony of former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at Smriti Sthal https://t.co/HbeppXjsPz— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Amit Shah and other leaders took part in former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's funeral procession by walking four kilometres to Smriti Sthal. Not just political leaders, but hundreds have joined the cortege carrying the mortal remains of the BJP stalwart.Read Full Story Here
New Delhi, Aug 17: The mortal remains of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who died at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) following a prolonged illness on Thursday, will be brought at the Bharatiya Janata Party's headquarters in the national capital for paying tributes. Atal Bihari Vajpayee's funeral procession will begin at 1:30 pm and he will be laid to rest at Smriti Sthal at 4:00 pm. Catch live and latest news updates on funeral and last rites of Vajpayee here.
On Thursday, a host of political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj paid tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence. Vajpayee, who had faded from public life for more than a decade following health complications and was admitted to AIIMS with urinary tract infection on June 11, breathed his last at 5:05 pm.
Vajpayee became the Prime Minister first in May 1996 for 13 days and again in March 1998 till 2004. He was the first non-Congress Prime Minister to serve a full five-year term. He oversaw five underground nuclear tests in Pokhran desert in Rajasthan and refused to bend under the international pressure in his attempt to make India a nuclear power. As the prime minister, Vajpayee showed political will to find a permanent solution for Kashmir conflict, initiating a full-scale diplomatic peace process with Pakistan.
However, when Pakistan backstabbed and attempted to capture Kargil, Vajpayee gave free hand to Indian armed forces that pushed them back and recaptured the territory. The victory in Kargil bolstered the image of Vajpayee and he was hailed across the country for his bold and strong leadership. Stay connected with us to get latest updates on Vajpayee's funeral here.