Chandy wants Kalam's body to be brought to Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has spoken to union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on bringing the body of former president A.P.J Abdul Kalam to the state capital for a few hours, for the people to pay their respects, as he stayed here for nearly two decades.

Chandy told Rajnath Singh that Kalam lived in the city from the early 1960s to the 1980s while working as a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation centre.

Chandy spoke to Rajanth Singh on Monday night and has send letters to the prime minister and other cabinet ministers with the request to bring Kalam's body for a few hours before it is taken to his home town in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Chandy's office said.

Chandy will also lead a team of his cabinet ministers and legislators to attend Kalam's funeral on Wednesday.

The former president died on Monday in a private hospital in Meghalaya after he collapsed while delivering a lecture on "Liveable Planet" to students of the Indian Institute of Managment-Shillong.