New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation on Tuesday in paying tributes to former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Thousands of people visited the 'Missile Man's' official residence here to pay their last respects to the "people's president" who collapsed while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management in Shillong on Monday evening.
The two houses of Parliament were adjourned for two days as a mark of respect to Kalam as political parties gratefully recalled his contributions to the nation.
The union cabinet met in the morning to formally pay tributes to Kalam who rose from humble beginnings to become one of India's leading scientists and later a popular president.
Kalam's body, wrapped in the Tricolour, arrived on Tuesday at the Palam technical area of Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 12.30 p.m. in a special Indian Air Force plane.
After a ceremonial guard of honour at the airport in the presence of the three service chiefs, Kalam's mortal remains were brought in an army vehicle to his official residence at 10, Rajaji Marg in central Delhi.
Thousands of people visited his residence to pay homage as cries of "Abdul Kalam amar rahe" and "Long live Abdul Kalam" rent the air.
The prime minister and the president went to the airport to pay tributes to the late leader. Other dignitaries present at the airport included Vice President Hamid Ansari, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
While the central government declared a seven-day mourning on Monday, the Goa government declared a seven-day mourning on Tuesday. Kejriwal announced that the Delhi government will name its scheme providing educational loan up to Rs.10 lakh after Kalam.
Modi, who addressed a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party on Tuesday, paid glowing tributes to Kalam and said India had lost a "ratna (jewel)".
Kalam was president from 2002-2007 and assumed the highest office when BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was in power.
Modi said Kalam was "rashtra ratna" (country's jewel) and his "personality was special".
"His life inspires us; it inspires the youth," Modi said.
The former president died on Monday evening in a private hospital in Shillong after he collapsed while delivering a lecture on 'Liveable Planet' to students of the Indian Institute of Managment, Shillong.
Kalam will be accorded a state funeral with full military honours at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. His family had wished that his last rites be performed in his hometown.
After the Lok Sabha met on Tuesday morning, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan read out a condolence message and said Kalam was a "real gem" of the country and a "sagacious statesman".
The members stood in silence for two minutes to pay their respects.
In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Hamid Ansari said the country had lost a true son. "His contributions to the nation as a man of technology, a teacher and a leader will be deeply cherished by a grateful nation," he said.
Both houses will now have their next sitting on July 30.
The union cabinet, which met on Tuesday to pay its condolences to Kalam, said the country lost a visionary scientist, a true nationalist and a great son.
"Kalam made significant contribution in developing India's first indigenous satellite launch vehicle and made India an exclusive member of space club," the resolution said, adding that strategic missile systems were developed and the Pokhran-II nuclear tests were conducted during Kalam's term as scientific advisor to the defence minister.
It said Kalam was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications and piloted India Millennium Mission 2020.
Born on October 15, 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Kalam specialised in aeronautical engineering from Madras Institute of Technology.
He was the recipient of many national and international awards, including honorary doctorates from 48 universities from India and abroad. He received the country's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, in 1997.
Tributes continued to pour in for Kalam with political leaders from the BJP, CPI-M and the Congress recalling his decades of dedicated service to the country in various fields.
Here we are giving you Live Updates:
* Govt has given full respect to him,so there is nothing that we could demand: Brother of late Former President APJ Abdul Kalam
* Funeral of late President APJ Abdul Kalam will take place on 30 July at his native place in Rameswaram around 11 AM
* At Rameswaram, mortal remains of late President APJ Abdul Kalam will lie in state till 7 PM for public to pay homage
* Mortal remains of late President APJ Abdul Kalam will be flown in to Rameswaram by an IAF Helicopter from Madurai tomorrow afternoon
* Special aircraft carrying mortal remains of late President APJ Abdul Kalam will leave 4 Madurai at 7.45 AM tomorow frm Palam, informs Defence Ministry spokesperson
* Gun Carriage with mortal remains of Late President APJ Abdul Kalam will leave 10 Rajaji Marg for Palam at 7 AM tomorow
* Public Darshan of mortal remains of late President #APJAbdulKalam at 10 Rajaji Marg, New Delhi, will close at 7.30 PM
Former President A P J Abdul Kalam's funeral to take place in Rameswaram on July 30
New Delhi: The funeral of late former President A P J Abdul Kalam will be held in Rameswaram, his birth place in Tamil Nadu, on July 30 with full military honours.
Home Ministry sources said Kalam would be given a state funeral and the last rites would be held at 11 AM on Thursday.
The funeral will be held in Rameswaram 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 there.Earlier, the indications were that the funeral would be held in Rameswaram tomorrow.
* A fantastic human being, till last moment he was working, greatest thing to do: UR Rao, Former ISRO Chairman on Dr. Abdul Kalam
* It is a great loss to the nation: Somnath Chatterjee, Former Lok Sabha Speaker on APJ Abdul Kalam
* A very big loss for the country,Dr. Kalam as the President conducted himself in a dignified manner: Sitaram Yechury
* Kal sirf Hindustan k liye hi nahi,balki poore vishwa ke liye dukhad din saabit hua: Former Bihar CM Jitan Manjhi on APJ Abdul Kalam
* Jis bhi kshetra ko unhone haath lagaya, wahan wo svayam yashasvi bane,us kaarya ki garima bhi badhayi: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
* Cricketer and Rajya Sabha member Sachin Tendulkar pays homage to late Former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
* President Pranab Mukherjee pays homage to late Former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
* Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal pays homage to late Former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
* PM Narendra Modi writes in the condolence book of late Former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
* PM Narendra Modi pays homage to late Former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
* Senior BJP leader LK Advani pays his last respects to late Former President Dr. APJ Kalam
* Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh pays last respects to late Former Pres Dr. Kalam
* Former PM HD Deve Gowda pays homage to late Former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
* Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi pays his last respects to late Former President APJ Abdul Kalam
* Congress President Sonia Gandhi pays her last respects to late Former President APJ Abdul Kalam
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* Former PM Dr.Manmohan Singh & his wife Gursharan Kaur pay their last respects to late Former Pres Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
* Goa Governor Mridula Sinha pays her last respects to Late Former President APJ Abdul Kalam
* Union Minister Dr. Harshvardhan pays homage to Late Former President APJ Abdul Kalam
* Jitendra Singh (MoS, PMO) pays his last respects to Late Former President APJ Abdul Kalam
* BJP President Amit Shah pays his last respects to late Former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
* UP CM Akhilesh Yadav & SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav pay their last respects to late Former President Dr. Kalam
* Abdul Kalam's casket placed at his Delhi residence for people to pay their last respects
* Army Vehicle carrying Kalam's body leaves for 10, Rajaji Marg (residence of former President Kalam)
* President Pranab Mukherjee pays his last respect to Dr Kalam
* Vice-President Hamid Ansari pays tribute to Kalam
* PM Modi pays his last respects to former President APJ Abdul Kalam
* Air Marshal Arjan Singh pays tribute to Kalam
* Army chief Dalbir Singh Suhag pays tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam
* Navy chief Admiral RK Dhowan pays homage to Kalam
* IAF chief Arup Raha pays tribute to Kalam
* Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi pays tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam
* PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh to reach shortly
* Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to reach shortly
* Three Service Chiefs are present at airport
The body of APJ Abdul Kalam, who died yesterday evening in Shillong, was flown to New Delhi from Guwahati this morning.
Meghalaya Governor V Shanmughanathan, Home Minister Roshan Warjri, Assembly Speaker Abu Taher Mondal and Director General of Civil Defence and Home Guards RK Sharma accompanied Kalam's body.
From Shillong, his body was carried by a special Indian Air Force helicopter to Guwahati airport and from there his body was flown to New Delhi on Indian Air Force aircraft C-130.
The former president died at 7.45 pm yesterday at a private hospital in Shillong after he collapsed while delivering a lecture on 'Liveable Planet' to students of the IIM-Shillong.
An official communique from Bethany Hospital said Kalam was brought to the hospital at 7 pm.
"He was received in the emergency room and on arrival, Kalam showed no spontaneous respiration, no pulse, blood pressure was not recordable, pupils fixed and dilated. Intubation was done immediately and CPR started," hospital medical consultant A.M. Kharbamon said in the statement.
She said Kalam was shifted to the ICU immediately but could not be revived.
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya government has declared Tuesday as a holiday in the state as a mark of respect to the former president.
(With inputs from agencies)
