PM Modi, Sonia among top leaders to pay homage to Manmohan Singh at his residence

Several top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday paid tributes to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence.

Draped in tricolour, the body of the former prime Minister was placed in a flower-bedecked casket at his residence, where leaders cutting across party lines paid their last respects to the departed leader.

Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur and other family members were present.

Sources said his cremation is likely to take place on Saturday as the family is waiting for one of his daughters to arrive from the United States.

Other than prime minister Modi, Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP President JP Nadda also paid tributes to the former prime minister at his residence.

Top Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, too paid their last respects to Singh. AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders were also present.

"Paid tributes to Dr Manmohan Singh Ji at his residence. India will forever remember his contribution to our nation," PM Modi said in a post on X, sharing images from his visit.

The 92-year-old former two-time prime minster passed away on Thursday night at AIIMS, where he was rushed in the late evening after he suddenly lost consciousness.

His body was taken to his residence late on Thursday night from AIIMS after embalming.

The Congress leader, who steered the country for 10 years from 2004-2014 and helped set up the country's economic framework as finance minister before that, was a renowned name in the global financial and economic sectors.