An extraordinary personality who contributed a lot to the nation was cremated. Atal Behari Vajpayee was cremated with full state honours and the last rites were performed by his foster daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. His ashes will be immersed in 42 rivers in Uttar Pradesh.
Tributes from foreign leaders kept pouring in as India bid goodbye to a gentleman politician. In keeping with military honours, the three service chiefs placed wreaths on the body of the former Prime Minister before others offered their floral tributes. The National flag with which his coffin was wrapped was removed and given to his foster granddaughter Niharika and then his body was handed over for the last rites to his family. The pyre was lit amidst chanting of Vedic hymns and a 21 gun salute by the solidiers.
