Pranab Mukherjee's final journey UPDATES: India salutes former President & political giant

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at 10 Rajaji Marg, pays his tribute to late Pranab Mukherjee and family.

The convoy carrying the mortal remains of former President Pranab Mukherjee left the Army's R&R Hospital for his residence at 9 am.

Mortal remains of late Pranab Mukherjee will reach his residence 10 Rajaji Marg at 9 am from Army's R&R Hospital. President Kovind, PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with others to pay tributes.

Born on December 11, 1935, in Mirati village, Burham district of West Bengal, Mukherjee obtained a Master's degree in History and Political Science as well as a degree in Law from the University of Calcutta. His father was a Congress leader who went to jail on multiple occasions for his role in the struggle for Independence. While Pranab Mukherjee commenced his career as a college teacher and journalist, he plunged into public life with his election to the Rajya Sabha in 1969. Former PM Indira Gandhi was instrumental for Mukherjee's rapid rise in politics.

He served as a Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha member for 5 and two terms respectively. During his career spanning over 5 decades, Mukherjee served at different times as Minister of Defence, External Affairs and Finance. Besides this, he functioned as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission from 1991 to 1996 as well as the Leader of both Houses of Parliament.

The senior Congress leader was admitted to the Army's Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi on August 10 and operated for the removal of a clot in the brain. He also tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Mukherjee is survived by two sons and a daughter. 

Pranab Mukherjee passed away on Monday after being put in a coma post a successful brain surgery at Army Hospital (R&R) in New Delhi. Pranab Mukherjee's son - Abhijit Mukherjee on Monday announced the news of the passing away of his father thanking the hospital staff and doctors for their efforts. Since August 10, regular reports from the Army Hospital stated that the former President was in deep coma and on ventilator support, remaining haemodynamically stable while being treated for a lung infection.

While he had been operated for removal of a clot in the brain, he had also developed a lung infection and had a renal dysfunction apart from being infected with COVID-19 at the time of admission. Mukherjee was the 13th President of India from 2012-2017.