APJ Abdul Kalam passes away: No 'Change of Guard' at Rashtrapati Bhavan today

New Delhi: The Change of Guard ceremony that takes place every Saturday at Rashtrapati Bhavan will not be held on Saturday (August 1) due to national mourning following the demise of former president APJ Abdul Kalam.

"The Change of Guard Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan will not be held on Saturday (August 1, 2015) due to national mourning on the sad demise of APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India," said a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement earlier this week.

The ceremony, a military tradition, is held in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan when a fresh unit of troops takes charge.

Opened for public viewing in 2007, the ceremony was revamped and relocated in December 2012 after President Pranab Mukherjee assumed office. The step was taken to make the ceremony more visually appealing and public-friendly.

Kalam died on Monday in Shillong after suffering a massive heart attack during a lecture he was delivering to students of Indian Institute of Management.