National

Harivanshrai Bachchan cremated

MUMBAI JAN. 19. The mortal remains of Hindi litterateur, Harivanshrai Bachchan, were consigned to flames at the Military Road crematorium in northwest Mumbai here today.

His elder son, Amitabh Bachchan, performed the last rites. Those present at the crematorium included Harivanshrai's son Ajitabh, grandsons, friends and family. The Samajwadi Party general secretary, Amar Singh, Reliance vice-chairman, Anil Ambani, Sahara group chief Subroto Roy, film stars Randhir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Ramesh Sippy, Yash Chopra, J.P. Dutta, Danny Denzongpa, lyricist Javed Akhtar and others were present at the crematorium.

PM, leaders mourn

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, his ministerial colleagues, Chief Ministers and a host of political leaders today mourned the death of Harivanshrai Bachchan saying with his passing away, an era of Hindi poetry has come to an end.

"Harivanshrai Bachchan was a great poet and Hindi lovers will always remember him," Mr. Vajpayee said.

The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, today expressed deep grief at the death. Describing Mr. Bachchan as a wizard of Hindi literature, he said, ``in his death an era of Hindi poetry has come to an end.''

Condoling the death, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the void created by his death would be difficult to fill.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde, said: "We have lost a great poet who gave Hindi poetry an entirely new perspective."

Recalling the invaluable contribution made by Harivanshrai Bachchan to Hindi poetry, the RJD president, Laloo Prasad Yadav, said: "The country has suffered an irreparable loss."

The Bihar Chief Minister, Rabri Devi, said the country had lost a great poet.

UNI, PTI

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