Morena (Madhya Pradesh): The mortal remains of eminent Gandhian Salem Nanjundaiah Subba Rao were consigned to flames at his Ashram in Joura on Thursday.
Subba Rao passed away at Sawai Man Singh Government Hospital in Jaipur on Wednesday. He was 92.
His body was kept at the Ashram for public view. Hundreds of people began to gather at the Ashram since morning.
As the day slipped past, the number of people wishing to have a glimpse of the Ambassador of Peace in the Chambal Valley, as Rao was called, began to swell.
His brother-in-law Major Ishwar Jais lit the funeral pyre. Hundreds of his followers and a large number of cadets of the National Service Scheme were present at the funeral.
The members of the Gayatri Pariwar chanted the slokas from the Vedas while performing his last rites.
Chief Minister Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot also paid floral tribute to the Gandhian at the Joura Ashram.
The nation has lost a true follower of Mahatma Gandhi, said Gehlot.
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan virtually paid tribute to the departed soul.
Rao who lived life by assimilating the ideals of Gandhi separated from the people of the country, Chouhan said.
The representative of former chief minister Kamal Nath and treasurer of MP Congress Committee Ashok Singh also offered tribute to Rao.
Former MP Ashok Argal, former minister of MP cabinet Govind Singh, Jitu Patwari, Girraj Dandotia and other public representatives also offered floral tribute to Rao.
His body was brought from Morena to Joura. On the way, flower petals were rained.
Former bandit in Chambal Bahadur Singh who laid down arms and is living in Rao’s Ashram said he had lost his father.
As Bahadur Singh was the youngest among all the dacoits who had surrendered in 1972, he became very close to Rao.
Bahadur has been serving the Ashram since his release from jail.
