Mortal remains of N D Tiwari consigned to flames

The last rites of veteran Congress leader Narayan Dutt Tiwari were performed with full state honours Sunday at the Chitrashila Ghat in Uttarakhand's Nainital district.

His son, Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, lit the funeral pyre at the Chitrashila Ghat on the banks of Gola river in Haldwani.

Scores of people and politicians including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat paid their last respects to the former chief minister.

Rawat remembered Tiwari as a leader who served the nation for long. He said Tiwari was also the chief minister of the first elected government in Uttarakhand.

"Development was Tiwari's top priority. This is the reason he was hailed as 'Vikas Purush'. He had worked for development rising above politics. His death has left a void in the state and nation," Rawat said.

Tiwari, who served in various positions at the Centre and in states and was even a strong contender for prime ministership in 1991, died on his 93rd birthday at a private hospital in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness.

Born on October 18, 1925 in Nainital, he had served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh multiple times, and was the first chief minister of the new hill state of Uttarakhand that was carved out of UP in 2001.

His body was kept at Kathgodam Guest House here for the people to pay their last respects.