The nation on Thursday bid farewell to Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora, hero of the 1971 war, who oversaw the surrender of 90,000 Pakistani soldiers, leading to the birth of Bangladesh.
The mortal remains of Aurora, a recipient of Padma Bhushan and Param Vishisht Seva Medal, were cremated at the Brar Square crematorium at the Delhi cantonment with full military honours.
The priests performed customary religious rituals before the pyre was lit by his son, Kiran.
Minister of State for Defence B K Handique, Defence Secretary Ajay Vikram Singh, Air Marshall Arjan Singh, Vice-Chief of Army Staff V K Thakur, former prime minister I K Gujral and a host of admirers of the late hero placed wreaths on the body.
A wreath was also laid on behalf of the three defence chiefs and by the acting High Commissioner of Bangladesh High Commission.
Aurora had died of a heart attack on Tuesday in Delhi at the age of 89.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders V K Malhotra, Sushma Swaraj and Madan Lal Khurana and National Commission for Minorities chairman Tarlochan Singh were also present.
A military guard offered a reversed gun salute after firing three rounds in the air as a mark of respect for the departed soul. The bugle then sounded the 'Last Post'.
