Vajpayee Funeral Ceremony ends with tears

New Delhi, Aug 17: As we know that, Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders who led the nation through several crises and held together with a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics, died here today. He was 93.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee's adopted daughter Namita Bhattacharya is performing the last rites of the former Prime Minitser at Smrithi Sthal in New Delhi as Vajpayee, even in death, sends a message by going against the tradition of a male family member performing the duty.



The BJP stalwart is being given a state funeral with a galaxy of political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and LK Advani, and foreign dignitaries paying their last tributes with chants of 'Atal Bihari Amar Rahe'.

Just a while ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and other senior leaders of the party walked in the funeral procession along with thousands of mourners from the BJP headquarters.

Niharika and Namita bid a teary farewell to Atal Bihari Vajpayee as his pyre burns at the Smriti Sthal while a host of dignitaries watch from the sidelines.

Foster daughter Namita and granddaughter Niharika bid a teary farewell to Atal Bihari Vajpayee as his mortal remains are cremated at the burial ground in Smriti Sthal.

Foster daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya lit the pyre at Smriti Sthal as cries of "Atal Bihari Amar Rahe" reverberated.

Bugles sounded the last post, uniformed soldiers clicked their heels and a sombre silence fell over the crowd as former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's mortal remains were consigned to the flames, the sun setting on the life of a poet-politician who combined accommodative politics with graciousness.

In a rare gesture by a foreign mission in India, the UK High Commission is flying the Union Jack at half-mast to mourn the death of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.