President hosts recpetion on I-Day

New Delhi, Aug 15 (UNI) President Pratibha Patil today hosted a reception on the occasion of the 62nd Independece Day.

The customary reception at the sprawling central lawn of Rashtrapati Bhawan was attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Former Prime Minister I K Gujral, Central ministers, service chiefs, foreign diplomats, bureaucrats and dignitaries from all walks of life also attended the reception.

Greeting the guests, the President took time to walk through the enclosures and exchanged plesantaries.

UNI PMD/SH AKJ BD1925