Narendra Modi among mourners as former Indian PM Manmohan Singh cremated after state funeral

28 December 2024, 18:14 | Updated: 28 December 2024, 18:49

Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh has been cremated after a state funeral as politicians and the public mourned his death.

Widely regarded as the architect of the country's economic reform programme, he died on Thursday aged 92.

His body was taken on Saturday morning to the headquarters of his Congress party in New Delhi, where party leaders and activists paid tribute to him and chanted: "Manmohan Singh lives forever."

Abhishek Bishnoi, a party leader, said Mr Singh's death was big loss for the country.

"He used to speak little, but his talent and his actions spoke louder than his words," he said.

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Later, Mr Singh's body was transported to a crematorium ground for his last rites as soldiers beat drums.

Government officials, politicians and family members paid their last respects to Mr Singh, whose casket was adorned with flowers and wrapped in the Indian flag.

Indian President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who called Mr Singh one of the country's "most distinguished leaders", attended the funeral ceremony.

Mr Singh's body was then transferred to a pyre as religious hymns played and he was cremated.

Authorities have declared a seven-day mourning period and cancelled all cultural and entertainment events during that time.

Mr Singh was prime minister for 10 years and leader of the Congress party in parliament's upper house.

He was chosen to be prime minister in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi, the widow of assassinated former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Mr Singh was re-elected in 2009, but his second term was clouded by financial scandals.

This led to the Congress party's crushing defeat in the 2014 national elections by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

(c) Sky News 2024: Narendra Modi among mourners as former Indian PM Manmohan Singh cremated after state funeral