The who’s who of Indian politics, foreign dignitaries and thousands of ordinary people came together to bid an emotional farewell to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday evening as flames from the cremation pyre at Smriti Sthal rose to consume the leader’s mortal remains.
Led by PM Narendra Modi, the nation mourned the passing of the saffron veteran. At the cremation, Vajpayee’s foster family huddled in grief as a 21-gun salute went off after several dignitaries had stepped up to place wreaths on a funerary box draped in the Indian tricolour.

The who’s who of Indian politics, foreign dignitaries and thousands of ordinary people came together to bid an emotional farewell to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday evening as flames from the cremation pyre at Smriti Sthal rose to consume the leader’s mortal remains.
Led by PM Narendra Modi, the nation mourned the passing of the saffron veteran. At the cremation, Vajpayee’s foster family huddled in grief as a 21-gun salute went off after several dignitaries had stepped up to place wreaths on a funerary box draped in the Indian tricolour.