Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away at AIIMS on Thursday, was on Friday cremated with full military honours at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, where people turned out in tens of thousands to pay their final tributes. Vajpayee's foster-daughter Namita lit the funeral pyre amidst the chanting of vedic hymns and firing of a 21-gun salute by soldiers.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a galaxy of political leaders cutting across party lines and foreign dignitaries joined the rest of the nation in bidding adieu to the departed leader. In keeping with the military honours, three service chiefs placed wreaths on the body of Vajpayee before leaders paid tributes.