Atal ji will live on in the hearts and minds of every Indian, says PM Modi

Calling Atal Bihari Vajpayee an "extraordinary personality", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid rich tributes to the former Prime Minister, saying that "Atal ji will live on in the hearts and minds of every Indian".

"Atal ji, you will live on in the hearts and minds of every Indian. No words can ever do justice to your rich contribution towards the making of our country", Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister said that people from all parts of India, all sections of society, had thronged to Delhi to pay tributes to an "extraordinary personality who made an extraordinary contribution to the nation".

The late leader was cremated with full state honours around 4 p.m. at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, during which President Ram Nath Kovind, Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and a host of Indian and foreign dignitaries were present.