Bhubaneswar, Mar 18: The mortal remains of former Union Minister Dr Debendra Pradhan was consigned to flames amid full State honour at Swargadwara (Gateway to heaven) in the holy land of Lord Jagannath at Puri.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Puri MP Sambit Patra, Yoga Guru Baba Ram Dev, among thousands of Central and State leaders and BJP workers, common people, and family members, attended the funeral.

Chanting of 'Dr Debendra Pradhan Amar Rahe' reverberated the Swargadwara. The body was cremated at Pindi No.28. Gaurd of Honour was given before the funeral fire was lit by his elder son Soumendra Pradhan. His younger son Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and other relatives were present.

Dr Pradhan, who served the nation as a Union Minister and as a doctor and a social worker, passed away in Delhi yesterday at the age of 84.

The body was brought to Bhubaneswar in the evening. A guard of honour was accorded to Dr Pradhan at the airport.

Leaders cutting across party lines, including Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, former Minister Bijay Mohapatra, former MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik visited Dr Pradhan's house at Chandrasekharpur and paid their last respects, placing wreaths on the body. According to the information, people visited the Chandrasekharpur residence till late in the night and paid respects.

The body was then taken to a grand procession to the BJP State office where BJP workers and leaders paid their last respects. Dr Pradhan was a towering personality. He was a doctor and a social worker.

He joined the BJP in the eighties and became a minister twice from 1998 to 2001 in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee governments. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP National President JP Nadda, among many leaders, condoled the demise of Dr Pradhan. They remembered his contributions to the nation building and strengthening BJP both at state and national levels.

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