Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar’s last rites were conducted at the Lodhi Road crematorium here on Saturday in the presence of family members and many prominent politicians and celebrities.
Ms. Pushkar’s 21-year-old son Shiv Menon, accompanied by Mr. Tharoor, lit the pyre at the crematorium were mourners and media persons gathered in large numbers.
The prominent names who attended the funeral were - Union Minister for Overseas Affairs Vyalar Ravi, Minister of State for Home R.P.N. Singh, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Senior journalist Nalini Singh and Congress leader Bina Kak also attended the funeral.
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The mortuary van had left Mr. Tharoor’s residence amid heavy security and the body reached the crematorium around 5 p.m.
The scene at the crematorium was emotional as mourning family members wept and comforted each other and friends paid their respects to the departed soul. A grieving Mr. Tharoor carried out the last rites of his wife. He appeared deeply saddened all this while.
Ms. Pushkar’s anguished father, Pushkar Nath Dass, was escorted to the pyre by his family members where he broke into tears on seeing his daughter’s body draped in a red sari.
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Her son from the previous marriage Shiv Menon could barely hold back his tears as he lit the sandalwood pyre consigning her body to flames. It was a melancholic scene as he then embraced his grandfather and tried to console him.
Tharoor and Shiv waited in the crematorium long after the people had left, till the flames of the smouldering pyre were reduced to ashes.
After the cremation was over, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla and Congress leader Ambika Soni reached Mr. Tharoor’s house to express their condolences.