Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was cremated with full state honours at the Nigambodh Ghat here on Saturday.

The mortal remains of Dr Singh, the key architect of India’s economic liberalisation, were consigned to flames as per Sikh rituals, in presence of family members, friends, colleagues and dignitaries.

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Prior to cremation, Sikh priests and family members of the former Prime Minister recited verses Gurbani.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi paid their last respects to Dr Singh by placing a wreath near his mortal remains.

After paying his last respects to Dr Singh, who had served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, Modi said Dr Singh’s service to the country will always be cherished.

“Paid last respects to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji. His service to India will always be cherished,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.

Among others who offered their tributes included Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, LoK Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, and several leaders from the Congress.

Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, and foreign dignitaries including King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Foreign Minister of Mauritius, Dhananjay Ramful also paid tributes to Dr Singh.

The final journey of the 14th Prime Minister began from Congress headquarters to the cremation ground at Nigambodh Ghat.

Earlier, this morning the mortal remains of the former Prime Minister were brought to the Congress headquarters, where Gursharan Kaur, Dr Singh’s wife, led the family in paying their respects.

Other prominent Congress leaders, including Kharge, Sonia, Rahul, KC Venugopal, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, DK Shivakumar, Ashok Gehlot, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, paid their last respects to the veteran Congress leader.

As the funeral procession moved through the streets, throngs of Congress leaders, workers and supporters followed, chanting “Manmohan Singh Amar Rahe” in a demonstration of admiration and respect for the visionary leader.

Dr Singh, one of the most renowned economists, passed away at 9.51 pm at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national Capital on Thursday at the age of 92.

As Finance Minister in the early 1990s, Dr Singh was the architect of India’s economic liberalisation. He initiated a series of reforms that not only saved the nation from a balance-of-payments crisis but also opened the doors to global markets. Through his policies of deregulation, privatisation, and the encouragement of foreign investment, he laid the foundation for India’s rapid economic growth.

Under his stewardship, India emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, a testament to his brilliance and vision.