?People light candles to pay tribute to former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Kolkata, India, on Aug. 17, 2018. Former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was cremated on Friday in Delhi with full state honours. He passed away on Thursday at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness. (Xinhua/Tumpa Mondal)?
NEW DELHI, Aug 17 (Xinhua) -- Former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was cremated on Friday in Delhi with full state honours. He passed away on Thursday at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness.
Vajpayee served as Indian prime minister thrice - first in 1996 for only 13 days, and then for two consecutive terms between March 1998 to May 2004, out of which the first tenure lasted for only 13 months followed by another term of full five years. He was one of the co-founders and first president of present-day ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The last rites of the departed leader were performed by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya.
The cremation was done in the presence of Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and president of main opposition party "Indian National Congress" Rahul Gandhi.
Besides, almost whole of the Indian cabinet and senior leaders cutting across party lines were also present.
Many foreign leaders and officials were also present on the occasion, including Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and foreign ministers of Nepal and Bangladesh.
During his active political life, Vajpayee was always seen as a great orator and had friends cutting across party lines.
Vajpayee became a member of India's parliament for the first time in 1957. Thereafter, he was elected to the parliament many times.
As the Indian prime minister, Vajpayee visited China in 2003.
