New Delhi: The state funeral of union minister Ananth Kumar, 59, who died at 2 am on Monday,took place today at Karnataka capital Bengaluru's Chamrajpet TR Mill crematorium. The mortal remains of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister were consigned to flames with full state honours after hundreds of mourners paid their last respect to the departed soul. Before the last rites, the body of the union minister was brought to the Karnataka BJP office at 8 am. The body was kept there for the public to pay their last respects, till 10 am. The body was then shifted to National College Grounds at 10 am.
After news of his death, condolence messages from a vast spectrum of political leaders poured out. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, home minister Rajnath Singh, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and many other leaders expressed grief and shock over Ananth Kumar's death.
Ananth Kumar died at a private hospital in Bengaluru. He was being treated for lung cancer for several months. The Karnataka government on Monday declared a three-day state mourning till November 14 as a mark of respect. A government notification said there would be no official programmes held during the state mourning. The national flag would fly at half-mast on all government buildings.
BJP chief Amit Shah, home minister Rajnath Singh, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Nirmala Sitharaman, LK Advani and Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan attended the funeral.
Here are the highlights from union minister Ananth Kumar's funeral:
Nov 13, 2018 14:55 (IST)
Union minister Ananth Kumar has been cremated with full state honours.
Nov 13, 2018 14:44 (IST)
Thousands of people, including union and state ministers and the general public, paid homage to late Union Minister Ananth Kumar in Bengaluru on Tuesday, according to news agency IANS.
The 59-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader died on Monday at a private hospital here due to multiple organ failure.
Anath Kumar's body was kept in a glass casket draped in the national flag for people to pay their last respects.
Thousands of people, including school children, gathered at the National College Grounds from across Bengaluru to pay homage to him.
Nov 13, 2018 13:52 (IST)
Rajnath Singh has paid his respects to union minister Ananth Kumar. He laid a wreath on the union minister's casket.
Nov 13, 2018 13:46 (IST)
LK Advani, Nirmala Sitharaman and Ravi Shankar Prasad are also present for the funeral ceremony of union minister Ananth Kumar.
Nov 13, 2018 12:49 (IST)
The body of union minister Ananth Kumar has been taken to the cremation ground to perform final rites.
Nov 13, 2018 11:40 (IST)
Apart from Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu and BJP President Amit Shah, union ministers, including Rajnath Singh, Piyush Goyal, Harsh Vardhan, Radha Mohan Singh, Ramdas Atavale, Mahesh Sharma, Ashwinikumar Choube and Ramkripal Yadav would pay homage on Tuesday, party sources said, according to news agency Press Trust of India.
Nov 13, 2018 11:17 (IST)
The body of union minister Ananth Kumar has been brought to Bengaluru's National College ground.