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Gen Sundarji cremated with state honours

The body of former army chief Gen K Sundarji was today cremated with full military and state honours at the Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment, in the presence of the three service chiefs and a large number of admirers.

Gen Sundarji, a flamboyant soldier who steered the Indian army from 1986 to 1988, died after a long illness on Monday night at the army hospital in New Delhi. He was 69.

The body was brought in a gun carriage from the general's residence at 6, Baird Place, where it was kept in state since yesterday, to the Brar Square crematorium. Jawans lined up both sides of the road as the body wrapped in the national tricolour was carried by pall bearers for about 500 yards to the pyre.

An all-religion prayer was recited before the cremation. Wreaths were laid on behalf of the President, vice-president and the prime minister.

As a gun salute was given in tribute, the funeral pyre was lit by Gen Sundarji's 12 year old grandson Avram, who was helped by his mother Padma and the former army chief's widow, Vani.

Besides a large number of service officers, the funeral was attended by scientific advisor to the defence minister Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, defence secretary T R Prasad and former Union minister Rajesh Pilot.

Yesterday, hundreds of people had paid homage to the late general when his body lay in state at 6, Baird Place. Defence Minister George Fernandes, Home Minister L K Advani and minister of state for external affairs Vasundhara Raje Scindia were among a large number of people who paid their last respects.

Tributes continued to pour in from across the country as people paid tributes to the 'thinking general'.

Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Gen K V Krishna Rao, a former army chief, today said Gen Sundarji played an important role in the build up of the armoured and mechanised forces of the army.

''He always displayed an original and innovative approach. He was a trainer par excellence. In him, the country has lost a fine soldier and an able military leader," Gen Krishna Rao said.

UNI

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