Abdul Kalam to be laid to rest in his hometown

The mortal remains of late Indian president Abdul Kalam reached his home town of Rameshwaram in the southernmost tip of India where he will be laid to rest tomorrow.

As tributes continue, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he will be attending the last rites of Kalam whose demise he described as a loss of "Ratna (gem) of Bharat".

"The prime minister is going to attend the last rites," Indian Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told the media when asked if he would be attending the last rites of the former "people’s-President".

The mortal remains of the former president was flown from Delhi to his hometown by a special aircraft this morning.

Penning his tribute to the 'missile man' and who was given the highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna, Modi in his blog, said "Bharat has lost a Ratna".

"Our scientist-President - and one who was genuinely loved and admired across the masses - never measured success by material possessions. He refused to be defeated by circumstances," he said.

He remembered Kalam, who died on Tuesday in Shillong after suffering a massive heart attack, as one who took little from the world, and gave all he could to the society.

Describing him as a "hero" of India's defence, Modi said his contributions to "our nuclear and space achievements have given India the muscle to be confident of her place in the region and the world."

Hundreds of people, ranging from VIPs to commoners and school children who carried roses, queued up at his residence here till Tuesday evening to pay tribute to Kalam.

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Kalam at his residence. Among others who visited were former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Marshal of Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, at the age of 96, was also among the dignitaries who paid their last respect to Kalam when the latter’s body reached Delhi airport. Singh came to the tarmac in a wheel chair before getting up and placing a wreath.