Modi's mother Hiraben passes away at 99, PM performs last rites

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother Hiraben passed away at a hospital in Ahmedabad early on Friday. She was 99.

A bulletin from the U N Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre, where she was admitted on Wednesday after her health deteriorated, shared the news of her demise.

'Hiraben Modi passed away on 30/12/2022 at 3.30 am during the treatment at U N Mehta Heart Hospital,' the medical bulletin said.

She is survived by her five sons -- PM Modi and his brothers Somabhai, Amrutbhai, Prahladbhai and Pankajbhai -- and daughter Vasantiben.

Her last rites were performed at a crematorium in Gandhinagar around 9.30 am in the presence of PM Modi, his brothers and other family members.

Following her death in the early hours, the prime minister reached the residence of his brother Pankaj Modi at Raysan village on the outskirts of Gandhinagar, where the mortal remains of their mother were kept.

Immediately after his arrival at the airport in Ahmedabad in the morning, the PM went to the house of his younger brother.

He offered floral tributes to his mother there and bowed down at her feet.

Later, Modi and his brothers shouldered her mortal remains for some distance before placing them in a mortuary van. Her last rites were performed at Sector 30 crematorium in Gandhinagar.

Earlier, the prime minister tweeted that 'a great journey of 100 years' has ended with his mother's demise.

'A great journey of 100 years has come to an end. I have witnessed three qualities in mother, a journey like that of a tapasvi (saint), a selfless worker and life dedicated to values,' Modi tweeted.

'When I met her on her 100th birthday she told one thing which I always remember. 'Kam karo buddhi thi, jivan jivo suddhi thi' (work using your brain and live life with purity),' he said in the tweet.

Modi had visited the hospital to inquire about his mother on Wednesday after learning about her health condition.

After spending over an hour at the medical facility that day, the PM had left for Delhi after doctors informed him that her health was stable. He had also spoken to doctors at the hospital, a government-funded autonomous medical facility.

The prime minister regularly visited Raysan and spent time with his mother Hiraben, also called Hiraba, during most of his Gujarat visits.