Special prayers held in Bhutan for former PM Manmohan Singh, king attends funeral

Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on Saturday attended the funeral of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, a day after leading the Himalayan nation in offering prayers for the Indian leader at a Buddhist monastery in Thimphu. Separate prayer ceremonies were held for the former Indian prime minister at all 20 Dzongkhags or districts of Bhutan, according to the Bhutan government. As a mark of respect to Singh, Bhutan's national flag was flown at half-mast across the country and at its embassies, and consulates abroad, according to the Royal Bhutan government.

A thousand butter lamps were lit at the ceremony held in Thimphu's Kuenrey of Tashichhodzong that was led by the King. The prayer was attended by Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Indian ambassador Sudhakar Dalela, several members of the Royal family and senior officials of the Bhutanese government. "As a mark of respect to the late former prime minister and in solidarity with the government and people of India, all national flags across the country and at Bhutan's embassies, missions, and consulates abroad are being flown at half-mast," the Bhutanese government said in a social media post on Friday. On Saturday, King Wangchuck paid rich tributes to Singh at his funeral at the Nigambodh Ghat public cremation ground in Delhi. Singh, who served as the prime minister from 2004 to 2014 and widely known as the architect of India's economic reforms, died on Thursday night at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

He was 92. India's relations with several key countries including Bhutan saw significant upswing during Singh's prime ministership. India and Bhutan enjoy strong bonds of friendship based on goodwill, trust and mutually beneficial cooperation. The basic framework of India-Bhutan relations is the 'Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation' signed in 1949. It was renewed in February 2007 when Singh was the prime minister. The cooperation in the hydro-power sector is one of the cornerstones of the relations. The ongoing cooperation between India and Bhutan in the hydro-power sector is covered under the 2006 bilateral agreement for cooperation and its Protocol signed in 2009. The pact and the protocol were inked during Singh's tenure as the prime minister.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)