The mortal remains of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were cremated on Saturday at Nigam Bodh Ghat in New Delhi amidst the chanting of religious hymns. His eldest daughter, Upinder Singh, lit the funeral pyre.
The last rites were conducted in the presence of dignitaries, including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside other top leaders and foreign guests.
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful were among the international dignitaries who paid their respects.
Prominent Indian leaders such as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, along with the three service chiefs, also offered tributes.
The funeral procession carrying Singh’s remains arrived at the cremation ground around 11:30 a.m. Draped in the national flag and adorned with flowers, the casket was placed on a raised platform where leaders from across political lines laid wreaths.
Earlier in the day, Singh’s final journey began from the Congress headquarters after party leaders paid homage to the departed leader.
The vehicle carrying his remains departed from the AICC office amidst chants of “Manmohan Singh Amar Rahe.” Hundreds of Congress workers and well-wishers joined the procession, chanting slogans such as “Jab tak suraj chand rahega, tab tak tera naam rahega.”
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, accompanied the procession along with Singh’s relatives.
Singh’s mortal remains had been moved earlier in the morning from his residence at 3, Motilal Nehru Road, to the Congress headquarters around 9 a.m., where they were kept for an hour. Top Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi, paid their respects. Singh’s wife, Gursharan Kaur, and one of their daughters also laid wreaths.
The former Prime Minister passed away on Thursday night at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi due to age-related ailments at the age of 92.
Known as the architect of India’s economic reforms, Singh served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014.
The Union Home Ministry has declared a seven-day national mourning in his honor. During this period, the national flag will fly at half-mast as a mark of respect.
