Former President Pranab Mukherjee Laid To Rest With Full State Honours, Last Rites Performed By Son Abhijit

Mukherjee's family and relatives paid their last respects clad in PPE kits while conforming to Coronavirus safeguards. An Army contingent gave a guard of honour and a gun salute to the former president.

A hearse van carrying the mortal remains of former president Pranab Mukherjee. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: Former President and Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee has been laid to rest with full state honours at the Lodhi road electric crematorium on Tuesday afternoon. Last rites were preformed by his son Abhijit Mukherjee. According to reports, Mukherjee's family and relatives paid their last respects clad in PPE kits while conforming to Coronavirus safeguards. An Army contingent gave a guard of honour and a gun salute to the former president. Mukherjee (84) died on Monday evening at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi cantonment following a 21-day battle with multiple ailments. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other bigwigs of politics payed tributes to former President at his residence, 10, Rajaji Marg, earlier today. The mortal remains of the 13th President were brought from Army R&R hospital around 9.30 was then taken to the Lodhi Road crematorium for the last rites at 2 pm. Following the Covid-19 precautionary protocol, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, Defence Minister Rajnath, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and others also paid their final tributes. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, CPI General Secretary D. Raja, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and many others have paid homage to the 84-year-old leader, who passed away on Monday evening after being on life support for three weeks. The government decided on a seven-day state mourning from August 31 to September 6 in his honour. The Union Cabinet on Tuesday condoled the sad demise of former President Pranab Mukherjee. The Cabinet observed silence for two minutes in his memory. The Cabinet later passed a resolution, saying: "In his (Pranab Mukherjee) passing away, the country has lost a distinguished leader and an outstanding parliamentarian". A long time Congress veteran, Mukherjee, was admitted to the hospital on August 10 after developing a blood clot. His condition turned critical following a brain surgery. He had also tested positive for Covid-19. Mukherjee was the President of India from 2012 to 2017. He was conferred the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, in 2019, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.