President, PM pay homage as Kalam's body arrives in Delhi

New Delhi, July 28 (PTI): President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of dignitaries on Tuesday paid their homage to former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, whose mortal remains were brought here from Shillong, where he died on Monday night.

The dignitaries placed wreaths on the body, which was wrapped in the tricolour and placed on a deck on the tarmac at the Palam technical area. An Indian Air Force aircraft had brought it from Guwahati.

Earlier, the body of Kalam, who collapsed during a lecture and died of cardiac arrest, was taken from Shillong in a Air Force helicopter to Guwahati, where Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi paid his respects.

The President and other dignitaries stood in silence as a guard of honour was given before the former President's body was taken in a flower-bedecked gun carriage to his residence at 10 Rajaji Marg, where it will lie in state from 3pm for people to pay homage.

The gun carriage was taken in a procession from the airport to Kalam's residence, a distance of about 12km.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Delhi’s Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the three service chiefs and Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh were among the dignitaries who paid their last respects.

The last rites of Kalam will take place at his birthplace in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday at the request of his family members, sources in the government said after a Cabinet meeting that adopted a resolution condoling the death hailing his services to the nation.

After paying their tributes, the President and the Prime Minister were seen involved in a conversation. Later, Modi also had a word with Vice-President.

Meghalaya Governor V. Shanmughanathan, who accompanied Kalam's body from Shillong, was also seen talking to the Prime Minister.