Kalam's funeral to take place in Rameswaram on Thursday

The funeral of former President A P J Abdul Kalam will be held in Rameswaram, his birth place in Tamil Nadu, on July 30 with full military honours.

Giving details, Defence Ministry Spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said that the gun carriage with the mortal remains of Kalam will leave his 10 Rajaji Marg residence here for Palam at 7 am on Wednesday.

A special aircraft carrying the mortal remains will take off from the Palam airport at 7.45 am. From Madurai, the mortal remains will be flown in to Rameswaram by an IAF helicopter. The former President's body will lie in state till 7 pm for public to pay homage, Kar said.

The funeral will take place on Thursday at his native place around 11 am in Rameswaram in accordance with the wishes of the family of Kalam, whose elder brother Muthu Mohammed Meeran Marakkair, 99, is said to have insisted that the last rites be held there.

Meanwhile, a Rameswaram report, quoting officials, said Kalam's funeral would take place at Pekarambu, a place covered with pure white sand dunes, where arrangements were being made to bury his mortal remains.

The site where his body would be buried is 'Mayana Puramboke' (revenue land meant for graveyard), officials said.

A decision for building a memorial would be taken at a later time. But since the burial is taking place at a site measuring two acres, there was a possibility of it being converted into a memorial, an official told PTI.

Officials said a pandal was being put up to enable VVIPs to pay homage near the bus stand in this town.

After enabling the public to pay their last respects, the body would be handed over to relatives for performing the last rites. As per the tentative programme, Kalam's body would be taken to the Mohideen Andavar mosque and then to his house where the funeral rites would be performed.

Mosque officials were making arrangements for conducting prayers before the mortal remains are interred.

Kalam's grand nephew Saleem said the former president had a dream for a new India by 2020, and wished that all worked together to reach that goal.

Rameswaram town is awash with posters with pictures of the former president describing his various achievements and dreams.

Flex boards had been put up by various outfits and political parties.  

Meanwhile, police said 5000 police personnel have been deployed for the security duty.

The navy and coast guard have also been put on high alert.