NEW DELHI — Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was laid to rest with full State honours at Delhi’s Nigam Bodh Ghat on Saturday, as the nation bid an emotional farewell to the stalwart Congress leader who was fondly known as the ‘Architect of India’s economic reforms’.
Earlier, amid poignant slogans of “Manmohan Singh Ji Amar Rahe” and “Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega, Manmohan Singh Ka Naam Rahega,” the mortal remains of Dr Singh were transported from the Congress headquarters to the cremation ground in a flower-adorned Army vehicle.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, along with Dr Singh’s family members, was present in the vehicle, reflecting his respect and admiration for the late leader.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and J.P. Nadda, and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, were present at Nigam Bodh Ghat to pay their last respects to the economic wizard.
Foreign dignitaries, including Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful, also attended the solemn ceremony.
The former Prime Minister received a final salute from the armed forces and the customary 21 gun salute in his honour.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, along with the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, also paid tribute to the leader who guided India through transformative times.
Earlier in the day, the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force officers brought Dr Singh’s mortal remains to the Congress headquarters, where family members and senior Congress leaders gathered for a heartfelt homage.
Rahul Gandhi, Congress Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi, and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge draped the Congress flag over Dr. Singh’s body, marking a solemn moment of tribute.
Gursharan Kaur, Dr Singh’s wife, led the family in paying their respects. Other prominent Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, D.K. Shivakumar, Ashok Gehlot, K.C. Venugopal, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister S Sukhu, and Telangana Congress chief Revanth Reddy, were also present to honour the late leader.
As the funeral procession moved through the streets, throngs of Congress leaders, workers and supporters followed, chanting “Manmohan Singh Amar Rahe” in a demonstration of admiration and respect for the visionary leader.
Dr Singh, who passed away at the age of 92 on Thursday night at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, served as India’s 14th Prime Minister.
Widely regarded as the ‘Architect of India’s economic reforms,’ he led the nation as the head of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) for two consecutive terms, from 2004 to 2014.
The globally respected economist and statesman leaves behind a legacy of transformative leadership that reshaped India’s economic and political landscape.–IANS
