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Ranga cremated with full state honours: PTI

Union Power Minister Rangarajan P Kumaramangalam, who pushed forward crucial reforms in the power sector in the last two years, was cremated on Wednesday evening at the electric crematorium in New Delhi with full state honours. His son Mohan performed the last rites.

He had died earlier in the day at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences after a grim battle against acute myeloid leukemia (blood cancer) for 12 days.

Ranga, 48, as he was popularly known, breathed his last at 0440 IST after his health deteriorated rapidly overnight. He leaves behind his lawyer wife Kitty, son Mohan and daughter Ruchira.

The national flag flew at half mast on government buildings throughout the country as a mark of respect to the departed leader.

The cremation was attended by a host of political leaders and dignitaries, including Home Minister L K Advani, former prime minister Chandra Shekhar and Cabinet ministers.

The Union Cabinet met earlier in the day and condoled his demise.

The President, vice-president, prime minister, home minister, a number of other ministers, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, chief ministers of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, parliamentarians and a number of other dignitaries visited his Aurangazeb home to pay their respects.

Tribute: Politician with a heart of gold

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