Emotional farewell to APJ Kalam

Thousands of teary-eyed people today bade an emotional farewell to India’s “people’s president” APJ Abdul Kalam.

Kalam, who died after suffering a massive heart attack on Monday, was laid to rest at a burial site near his ancestral house in southern Indian town of Rameswaram with full state honour and a 21-gun salute, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The casket containing the mortal remains of 83-year-old former president was lowered into the grave at a public ground shortly before 12:00pm after his family members offered prayers at the burial site and a 21-gun salute was fired and the last post was played by the defence personnel as the slogan “Bharat Mata ki Jai” rent the air.

The body of Kalam was buried in the middle of a 1.5 acre piece of land earmarked for the purpose at Peikarumbu here after being brought from his family mosque where special prayers were offered.

Later, family members of Kalam and other Muslims offered prayers at the site and leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some of his cabinet colleagues observed a two-minute silence in memory of Kalam who was India's president from the year 2002 to 2007.

Modi, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and his senior party colleagues Ghulam Nabi Azad and Palaniappan Chidambaram were among those who attended the last rites of Kalam who was considered the architect of India’s missile programme.

Modi placed a wreath on the casket, offered his final salute to Kalam and stood in silence in front of the casket wrapped in national flag. He also went around the casket with folded hands.

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

Kalam passed away after suffering a massive cardiac arrest while he was addressing students in Shillong, capital of north eastern state of Meghalaya on July 27 evening. He was rushed to a hospital but failed to recover.

Earlier, a large number of teary-eyed mourners swarmed the carriage carrying his mortal remains and as the funeral procession of Kalam moved with it on the last journey of the 83-year-old scientist from his ancestral house to the burial site.

Tight security, including deployment of Naval, Coast Guard and Marine police personnel in the sea around the town, was put in place in view of the convergence of several dignitaries.