DHAKA:  Thousands gathered to bid farewell to the President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, popularly known as people’s president, who was buried with full state honours at a public ground in Tamil Nadu’s Rameswaram town of India where he was born.

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi saluted Dr Kalam’s body which was wrapped in the Indian Tricolour, before the last rites. The PM then walked around Dr Kalam’s body hands folded, reports ndtv.

Many chief ministers, union ministers and other political leaders like Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi attended the last rites.

Thousands of people came from all over India to pay their last respects to their much loved President. People walked down the highway into Rameswaram, they come in buses, trains and even boats. Many slept on the roads last night.

Many stationed themselves on the terraces of buildings that line the roads to get a last glimpse of their hero. Dr Kalam died on Monday in Shillong after a massive cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management. He was 83.
 
Known as Missile Man of India, Dr Kalam played a pivotal role in the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan and India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.

BDST: 1349 HRS, JULY 30, 2015
SR

** Thousands pay last respects to APJ Kalam at Rameswaram