The funeral will be held on Thursday
Vedic scholars along with other community members performing Moksh Deepam for former President of India Kalam at Marina beach on Tuesday. (Photo: DC)
Rameswaram: The grieving township of Rameswaram, a coastal heritage island of Tamil Nadu, is now gearing up for the last rites of its most famous son - former President Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam.
The funeral will be held on Thursday. Having inspected four spots for the burial, district collector K. Nanthakumar, in consultation with Kalam’s family members, has chosen a plot in Peikarumbu located beyond Pamban on the National Highway. This is where Dr Kalam will be laid to rest with full military honours and the two-acre plot will most likely be converted into a memorial for the former president.
PM to attend funeral: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the funeral of former President APJ Abdul Kalam, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday. State government sources here indicated that Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has asked some of her ministers to attend Kalam’s funeral.
With the bigwigs of the Union and state cabinets likely to come to pay homage to the departed former President APJ Abdul Kalam, the local administration and district collectorate are now making elaborate arrangements.
“A large number of relatives, friends and local residents have already started gathering at our house in Rameswaram,” Kalam’s grandson APJ M.K. Sheik Saleem told DC. After the rituals, the funeral procession will leave Pallivasal street and cover about 2 kilometres to reach the burial spot, he informed.
“The body is to be airlifted from Delhi and will be reaching Rameswaram by Wednesday noon. Arrangements have been made to keep the body in the open ground in Keezkadu for the public to pay homage between 2.30 pm and 8 pm. The body will then be handed over to his relatives for religious rituals,” said a senior officer.
“Kerala CM Oomen Chandy is expected to be present at the funeral,” sources said. The District collector K. Nanthakumar has been discussing with airport authorities and the Union government on arrangements as names of chief ministers and foreign diplomats are being tipped to attend the funeral of India’s ‘Missile Man’.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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