Indian Overseas Congress chief Balwant Kapoor dead

The flower-bedecked funeral cortege was first taken to Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Hounslow before it was driven to the South West Middlesex Crematorium at Hanworth here last evening. 81-year-old Kapoor died on September 7 following a heart attack.

Describing him as a great human being, Acting Indian High Commissioner to the UK Asoke Mukerji said: "in the death of Balwant Kapoor, we have lost a pillar of the community. He was more than a leader of the Indian community."

D L Kalhan, IOC General Secretary, said Kapoor served the Indian Overseas Congress and the NRI community till his last breath and endeared himself to one and all. Joginder Sangar, prominent NRI hotelier and philanthropist and several leading NRIs and Councillors were present on the occasion.

Ravi Kapoor, Balwant Kapoor's only son, will take the ashes to India on Tuesday and immerse it in the Ganges in Hardwar next day.