Rameswaram: The last rites of former president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam will be held on Thursday in his hometown Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. The funeral is expected to begin at 11am.
Kalam's body was taken to a mosque for prayers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ceremony. Union parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu and defence minister Manohar Parrikar have arrived in Rameswaram.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and several other leaders would also attend Kalam's last rites.
Kalam's family members have also reached in Rameswaram.
The government declared a public holiday on Thursday, under the Negotiable Instruments Act. As a result, banks, insurance companies, schools and colleges are closed throughout the state.
The government has also ordered closure of liquor shops and bars.
Around 30,000 jewellery shops would also remain closed, while petrol bunks would stop selling for an hour between 10-11 a.m. as a mark of respect for Kalam.
Movie theatre owners too have decided to shut down while fishermen have decided not to venture into the sea.
Political parties like the DMK and the AIADMK have cancelled their functions.
Kalam, 83, passed away on Monday in Shillong after suffering a massive cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture to students at the Indian Institute of Management.
His death witnessed a huge outpouring of grief across the nation. In Delhi, thousands waited for hours to pay their last respects to him. Long queues were also witnessed in Rameswaram, where his body was brought on Wednesday.
His ancestral home, House of Kalam, was besieged by milling crowds on Wednesday, prompting great-grandson APJ Shiekh Salim to plead with television crews to respect the family’s privacy. “My shocked great-grandfather is not in good health,” he said.
The government has declared national mourning for seven days.
Security has been tightened in and around Rameswaram in view of the large number of dignitaries who are expected to come.
Known as the Missile Man of India, Dr Kalam played a pivotal role in the Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan and India's highest civilian honour - the Bharat Ratna -- for his achievements.
Penning his tribute to Dr Kalam in his blog, PM modi wrote, "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 said.
Also Read: Parliament Pays Tributes To Former President Kalam; Hails Him As 'Real Gem', 'True Son'
U.S. Media Highlights Abdul Kalam's Role in India's Nuclear Programme
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