Sadaiv Atal, a memorial of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was dedicated to the nation on Tuesday on his 94th birth anniversary.
President Ram Nath Kovind, vice president M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the dignitaries who paid floral tributes to the former statesman at the memorial built near the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, where his mortal remains were consigned to flames on August 17.
Vajpayee passed away in Delhi on August 16 after a prolonged illness. He was cremated with full state honours.
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Sadaiv (always) Atal memorial will be managed by a trust headed by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. A vacant piece of land was made available for the memorial at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi by the Union housing and urban affairs ministry. Spread over 1.5 acres of land, the memorial was constructed by the Central Public Works Department at a cost of Rs 10.51 crore. The project was funded by the Atal Smriti Nyas Society.
Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo Rediff.com
IMAGE: "Tributes to Atal Ji on his Jayanti. We reiterate our commitment towards creating the India he dreamt of," Modi tweeted Tuesday. The memorial is enclosed by nine bas-relief walls having inscriptions of poetries penned by Vajpayee. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo
IMAGE: Noted singer Pankaj Udhas recited devotional songs at the memorial in New Delhi, while the dignitaries paid tributes. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, family members of Vajpayee and BJP chief Amit Shah also offered flowers at the lotus-shaped memorial. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo
IMAGE: Meanwhile, a 25-feet high statue of Vajpayee will be installed in Uttar Pradesh government secretariat in Lucknow, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said. Adityanath made the announcement at a ceremony held to celebrate Vajpayee's 94th birth anniversary. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, also the local MP, and Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik also attended the function. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo
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