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Just Hours After His Wife's Cremation, President Pranab Mukherjee Was Back At Work

Just Hours After His Wife's Cremation, President Pranab Mukherjee Was Back At Work
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee greets all well-wishers as he arrives to attend the funeral of his wife Suvra Mukherjee in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015. Suvra Mukherjee died Tuesday at age 74. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das, Pool)
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Indian President Pranab Mukherjee greets all well-wishers as he arrives to attend the funeral of his wife Suvra Mukherjee in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015. Suvra Mukherjee died Tuesday at age 74. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das, Pool)

The ashes of Suvra Mukherjee, wife of President Pranab Mukherjee, were immersed into the Ganga at Har ki Pairi last evening. And on Thursday, the President was back at work at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, receiving the leaders of the Pacific Islands countries.

Suvra's ashes were carried in an urn by her son Abhijit, a Lok Sabha MP from Jangipur in West Bengal, and immersed into the river as per Hindu rituals at Brahmakund Har Ki Pairi at around 6:30 last evening, District Administration officials told PTI.

Suvra was admitted to the hospital on August 7 after she complained of breathlessness and discomfort. She passed away on Tuesday.

On Thursday, Vikas Swarup, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, posted a series of tweets about the President greeting and addressing leaders of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation at the Ashoka Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhvavan.

. @RashtrapatiBhvn receives Heads of State and Government from the #FIPIC family pic.twitter.com/topOf7zD21

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) August 20, 2015

Standing shoulder to shoulder with the #FIPIC family. Leaders of Pacific Islands countries at @RashtrapatiBhvnpic.twitter.com/AvJipqkPuW

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) August 20, 2015

The President addresses FIPIC leaders at the majestic Ashoka Hall in Rashtrapati Bhvavan pic.twitter.com/fi3AMQgCV4

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) August 20, 2015

Mukherjee, who is said to lead a disciplined life, paid floral tributes to Shankar Dayal Sharma, the ninth president of India, barely hours after the First Lady's cremation, reported the Economic Times.

"The First Lady's cremation was at 10.30 AM, by 12.30, the president was attending to his official duties," ET quoted a Rashtrapati Bhavan official as saying.

FPIC summit: President Pranab Mukherjee welcomes dignitaries at ceremonial reception at President House pic.twitter.com/KGtIncdb1M

— ANI (@ANI_news) August 20, 2015

A gesture that was not lost on social media.

Back to work, hours after his wife's cremation. One of the few congress people I have tremendous respect https://t.co/ZzuXjGdZft

— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) August 20, 2015

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.