The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Cortege carrying PV's body arrives

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Cortege carrying PV's body arrives

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 24. The mortal remains of the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, were received with a guard of honour by the Gurkha Regiment at the airport here on Friday evening and carried on a gun carriage to Jubilee Hall.

The Governor, Sushil Kumar Shinde, and the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, along with Central and State Ministers, Congress leaders, civil and military officials and family members were present.

At 4.55 p.m., the AN-32 plane of the Indian Air Force touched down at Begumpet airport carrying the leader's body which was later placed on the gun carriage. The cortege moved with military escort to Jubilee Hall where the body would be kept till Saturday morning to enable people pay last respects. An IAF Boeing 737 had preceded the plane carrying the coffin with the Union Ministers -- Jaipal Reddy, Renuka Chowdary and Panabaka Lakshmi -- and the Congress leaders -- Motilal Vora, Ashok Gehlot, G. Venkataswami and M.S. Bitta -- on board.

Shinde receives body

The Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Prithviraj Chavan, came as the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh's representative. In a departure from the schedule announced earlier, the Governor came to receive the body. In his condolence message yesterday, Mr. Shinde had noted that Narasimha Rao had been his guide in politics.

At the airport practically the entire State Cabinet was present to receive the body along with the Chief Secretary, Mohan Kanda, and S.R. Sukumara, DGP.

Lt. Gen. V.C. Jain, Commandant, Military College of EME, was present along with Brig. U.W. Deshmukh, Andhra Sub Area Commander, and Brig. Rohit Kalia, Commandant, Artillery Centre.

Air Vice-Marshal V.R. Iyer, Commandant, College of Warfare, and Rear Admiral S.S. Godbole, Director, DMDE, represented the Air Force and the Navy respectively.

Narasimha Rao's brother, P.V. Madhav Rao, came to the airport along with a large number of family members. The former Prime Minister's sons -- P.V. Rajeshwar Rao, P.V. Ranga Rao and P.V. Prabhakar Rao -- and daughters -- Vani Devi and Saraswathi -- were present.

There was a small delay at the airport as the coffin did not fit into the gun carriage. After 20 minutes of efforts, the coffin was finally placed on the gun carriage by putting rubber sheets under it and tying it with a nylon rope.

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