Saturday, December 25 2004 14:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: The mortal remains of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao were consigned to flames with full State honours on the banks of Hussain Sagar lake in Hyderabad today (Dec 25, 2004).

Rao's eldest son, P V Ranga Rao lit the funeral pyre amidst chanting of vedic hymns with the Hussain Sagar holding country's tallest Buddha statue in the background.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Cabinet colleagues, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) president L K Advani, TDP (Telugu Desam Party) chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh Governor Sushilkumar Shinde, Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajsekhar Reddy, his Cabinet members, leaders of various political parties and public figures from various walks of life attended the funeral.

The 2.9-acre land, surrounding the cremation site, will be developed as a memorial for Rao, the illustrious son of the soil, who was the only politician from the State to hold the highest office of Prime Minister.

Family members of Rao, his childhood associates from the native Vangara village in Karimnagar district, besides leaders from the erstwhile Nizam State comprising Marathwada and parts of Karnataka were also present on the occasion.