Udaipur : People from all walks of life , bid a teary adieu to former state minister and Rajsamand legislator Kiran Maheshwari who was cremated here at the Rani road crematory on Tuesday morning. Maheshwari , 59, breathed her last in Medanta Hospital at Gurugram on Sunday late night after battling with coronavirus for three weeks.Her body reached Udaipur on Monday late evening which was kept in a morgue at a private hospital here.
On Tuesday morning, the body was taken to her residence at Ambamata scheme where her family members awaited her wearing PPE kits before performing all the rituals. Her body was kept in the verandah of her home so that people could pay floral tributes. Maheshwari’s son Prashant, daughter Deepti were inconsolable after lighting her pyre while others were seen comforting them.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla participated in the funeral procession to the crematorium while among other politicians were former home minister Gulabchand Kataria, ex UDH minister SriChand Kriplani, former assembly speaker Shantilal Chaplot seen on the occasion. Everyone including the family members wore mask and used sanitisers to allay fears of infection.
Considering the large number of supporters, larger-than-life public image and her immense popularity, the number of gathering appeared quite small due to the COVID-19 protocol in effect. Senior partymen had appealed supporters and workers from Rajsamand not to gather for her funeral as it could violate the corona protocols and set a bad example before the common public. Condolence meetings were held in many offices, universities and colleges where staff members paid their tributes to their beloved leader who was known for her cheerful disposition and helping nature.
Maheshwari was elected an MP from Udaipur-Rajsamand seat in 2004, when she defeated Congress veteran Girija Vyas. She was elected an MLA from Rajsamand for the first time in 2008 and she held the post of Higher Education Minister in the previous BJP government in the State.