On Saturday, the last rites of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be performed at Nigambodh Ghat in Delhi at 11:45 am with full State honours. Former PM passed away on Thursday night at the age of 92. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold the funeral at a location where a memorial could be built to honour Singh’s contributions. Kharge said this would be a fitting tribute to Singh’s stature and in line with the tradition of building memorials for former prime ministers at their cremation sites.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) confirmed the arrangements, stating, “It has been decided by the Government that State funeral will be accorded to Dr. Manmohan Singh. The funeral will take place at 11:45 am on 28th December 2024 at Nigambodh Ghat, New Delhi.” Singh’s body will be kept at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters from 8:30 am to 9:30 am for people and Congress workers to pay their last respects. The final journey will begin at 9:30 am from the AICC headquarters to Nigambodh Ghat, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was among the first to pay homage at Singh’s residence on Friday, called his passing a major loss for the nation. “Dr. Manmohan Singh’s death is a big loss. The country has lost an eminent statesman, renowned economist, and distinguished leader,” Modi said. Draped in the Tricolour, Singh’s body was placed at his residence, 3 Motilal Nehru Road, where his family, including his wife Gursharan Kaur and daughters, were present. Several leaders, party workers, and the public paid their respects at the sprawling Lutyens’ Delhi bungalow that was Singh’s home for over a decade.
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