LIVE: PM Modi to attend former President APJ Abdul Kalam's funeral in Rameswaram
The special aircraft took off from the Palam airport at around 08:15 am after all three forces gave a sendoff to the former head of the state.
APJ Abdul Kalam's body flown to Rameswaram from Delhi
The mortal remains of former President APJ Abdul Kalam were flown to his hometown Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) in a special aircraft, as people in the national capital bid an emotional adieu to the country's 'Missile Man'. The special aircraft took off from the Palam airport at around 08:15 am after all three forces gave a sendoff to the former head of the state. Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar accompanied the mortal remains of former President Kalam to Rameswaram.
Here are the LIVE updates:
01:45 pm: The former President will be given a state funeral with full military honours.
1:35 pm: Former President APJ Abdul Kalam's mortal remains reach Madurai, will be flown to Rameswaram from here.
01:16 pm: Security has been tightened at Rameswaram in view of the large number of people, including ministers and others, who are expected to attend Kalam's last rites.
01:10 pm: Thousands of people gathered at Kalam's home awaiting the body of former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
12:30 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the last rites of former President APJ Abdul Kalam in Rameswaram on Thursday, whose demise he described as a loss of "Ratna (gem) of Bharat".
11:35 am: Former President APJ Abdul Kalam saw India as a knowledge superpower, says Modi.
10:00 am: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to skip APJ Abdul Kalam's funeral. The Tamil Nadu chief minister in a statement said, she will not be able to attend Kalam's last rites due to health reasons. However, Tamil Nadu minister Panneerselvam along with other ministers will be attending the funeral.
09:28 am: US President Barack Obama has condoled the death of former President APJ Abdul Kalam describing him as an advocate for stronger US-India relations, and who worked to deepen the two countries' space cooperation.
09:10 am: The funeral is expected to be held at 11 am on Thursday. There is also speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may attend the funeral.
09:10 am: The funeral is expected to be held in accordance with the wishes of the family of Kalam, whose elder brother Muthu Mohammed Meeran Marakkair (99) is said to have insisted that the last rites be held in Rameswaram.
08:40 am: In Rameswaram, the body will be kept for people to pay homage till 7 pm.
08:15 am: The aircraft will fly to Madurai, from where the mortal remains will be flown in to Rameswaram by an IAF helicopter.
08:00 am: Wrapped in a tri-colour, former President Kalam's body was taken to the airport in a gun carriage from his 10 Rajaji Marg residence at 7 AM, as officials and commoners bid farewell to the man, whose life inspired countless Indians.
07:45 am: Apart from Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain was also present at the airport.
07:30 am: With the funeral of former President APJ Abdul Kalam slated on Thursday at Rameswaram, the Tamil Nadu government has also announced a public holiday "as a mark of respect" to the departed soul. The government "has decided" to announce public holiday on July 30 to private and government educational institutions and establishments under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, "as a mark of respect" to him, an official release said.
07:25 am: The funeral of the former President will be held in Rameswaram, his birth place in Tamil Nadu, on Thursday with full military honours.
07:15 am: A seven-day state mourning has been declared by the government in honour of Kalam.
07:10 am: Meanwhile, more than one hundred Municipal workers led by the Chairman of the Rameswaram muncipality A Arjunan paid homage to the portrait of the former president.
07:00 am: Former President APJ Abdul Kalam, the 'Missile Man' who came to be known as 'People's President' died on July 27 after he collapsed during a lecture at the IIM-Shillong.
Kalam, who would have turned 84 in October, was confirmed dead more than two hours after he was wheeled into the ICU of Bethany hospital in a critical condition following the collapse at around 6.30 pm.
Md saddam pathan
No comments:
Post a Comment