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From President Ram Nath Kovind to PM Narendra Modi Congress president Rahul Gandhi leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

Bugles sounded the last post, uniformed soldiers gave a gun salute and silence fell over the crowd as former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's mortal remains were consigned to the flames on Friday evening, the sun setting on the life of a poet-politician who combined accommodative politics with graciousness. Daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya lit the pyre as cries of 'Atal Bihari Amar Rahe' reverberated in the air and a light drizzle fell. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh were among the thousands of people at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal on the banks of the Yamuna, the BJP patriarch's final resting place along the stretch which also houses the memorials of Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Several foreign dignitaries, including Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and Pakistan's Law Minister Ali Zafar were also present as Vajpayee was cremated with full state honours.

News Nation Bureau | Updated : 17 August 2018, 08:47:51 PM
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

1
Bugles sounded the last post, uniformed soldiers gave a gun salute and silence fell over the crowd as former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's mortal remains were consigned to the flames on Friday evening, the sun setting on the life of a poet-politician who combined accommodative politics with graciousness. Daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya lit the pyre as cries of "Atal Bihari Amar Rahe" reverberated in the air and a light drizzle fell. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh were among the thousands of people at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal on the banks of the Yamuna, the BJP patriarch's final resting place along the stretch which also houses the memorials of Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Several foreign dignitaries, including Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and Pakistan's Law Minister Ali Zafar were also present as Vajpayee was cremated with full state honours. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

2
Former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai and representatives of SAARC countries attend the cremation of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

3
President Ram Nath Kovind pays homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

4
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh pays homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

5
Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrives to attend the cremation of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

6
Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray and Tuva Sena Chief Aditya Thackeray lay wreath on the mortal reamins of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as he was paid last respects at BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi on Friday. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders look on during the cremation ceremony of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpatee with full state honour at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

8
Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu pays homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi on Friday, August 17, 2018. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

9
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers condolences to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's daughter Namita Kaul; and granddaughter Niharika Bhhatacharya during his cremation ceremony with full state honour at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi on Friday. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

10
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah pays homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

11
Veteran BJP leader LK Advani pays homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. (Photo Source: PTI)
From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

From Prez Kovind to PM Modi; leaders mourn as Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid to rest at Smriti Sthal

12
King og Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck pays homage to former prime minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal. (Photo Source: PTI)

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