People''s President Kalam laid to rest; thousands bid teary adieu

Rameswaram (TN), July 30

In a spontaneous outpouring of grief, thousands of people bid an emotional farewell to former President APJ Abdul Kalam who was today laid to rest with full state honours in his hometown Rameswaram amid chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.

His body was buried in the 1.5 acre earmarked for the purpose at Peikarumbu after being brought from his family mosque where special prayers were offered.

The “People’s President” was accorded full military honours, including gun salute and playing of the Last Post as the members of his family and local Jamath lowered his mortal remains into a trench.

The funeral of the “Missile Man” was attended by a galaxy of leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi who placed a wreath, offered his final salute and stood in silence in front of Kalam’s body that was draped in the national flag. He also went around the casket with folded hands.

The PM later went up to Kalam’s eldest brother 99-year-old Mohammed Muthu Meeran Lebbai Maraicker, who was seated nearby, and offered his condolences.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also paid his last respects to Kalam, who died of cardiac arrest in Shillong on July 27.

Besides some foreign dignitaries, several leaders, including Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, his Cabinet colleague M Venkaiah Naidu and state Finance Minister O Panneerselvam, were present.

Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad and Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh Siddaramaiah, Oommen Chandy and Chandrababu Naidu, respectively, and CPM veteran VS Achuthanandan were also among those who paid homage.

The three services chief also paid their respects to their former Supreme Commander. Earlier, a large number of teary-eyed mourners swarmed the carriage carrying his mortal remains and briskly moved with it on the last journey of the 83-year-old scientist.

Condolences poured in from the country and across the world, paying respects to the affable man who endeared himself to the masses with his simplicity.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had expressed her inability to attend the funeral citing health grounds. Modi, who arrived by a special helicopter at nearby Mandapam, drove to this island town in his bulletproof car amid tight security.

The state government announced a public holiday today, with state-run liquor outlets and bars closed as a ‘mark of respect’ to Kalam. — PTI