Nation pays rich tributes to Pt Nehru on 117 birth anniversary

New Delhi, Nov 14 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi today led the nation in paying tributes to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru on his 117th birth anniversary.

Series of functions were organised to mark the birth anniversary of the first prime minister of India, across the country, also observed as 'Bal Diwas' every year.

Dr Singh and Ms Gandhi paid floral tributes to Pt Nehru at his 'samadhi' at Shanti Van here this morning.

Prominent among those who paid floral tributes to Pt Nehru were Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Union Minister Subbirami Reddy, Delhi Lt Governor B L Joshi, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh.

A large number of school children also joined the leaders in paying tributes.

A series of other events were also held in the capital today to mark the birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India.

Lt Governor of Delhi B L Joshi was the Chief Guest at the 'Bal Diwas' function held at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium which saw the children present Basant Dance, Traffic Drills, Tamil Dance and Malkham is and Yogasans, leaving the spectators at the packed stadium enthralled.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda awarded 126 meritorious students the 'Medhavi Chhatar Puruskar' at the state-level function at his residence.

Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee (CTCC) paid glowing tributes to first prime minister of India.

CTCC president B B Behl while describing Pt Nehru as apostle of peace and maker of modern India, asked the workers to follow his policies to make the Congress a people's party under the leadership of Ms Sonia Gandhi.

About two hundred children from different schools and colleges this morning gathered on the lawns of the Anand Bhawan, the ancestral house of Nehru-Gandhi family and celebrated children's day.

Children staged cultural programmes including folk music, folk dance and drama.

The Katnataka government formally launched the 'Bhagyalakshmi' scheme to benefit new-born girl child to mark to mark the occasion.

Under the scheme, the State Government would deposit Rs 10,000 in the name of new-born girl child, irrespective of caste and creed, and the interest accrued from it could be utilised for her education. The deposit would mature when the child attains 18 years and the money could be utilised for her higher studies or marriage.

A colourful marchfast, a joyride for a group of children from the Spastics Society of Bangalore from the city to Mysore in a Jet Airways aircraft, distribution of 'Bravery Awards', awards for children who exhibited exceptional talents in the field of sports, culture, academics and arts were organised on the day. Competitions in various fields, including painting, singing, art and cultural programmes, marked the celebration in various parts of the State.

Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala and State Ministers M K Stalin, Parithi Ilamvazhuthi and K K S S R Ramachandran garlanded Pandit Nehru's statue at Kathipara junction in Chennai.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President M Krishnasamy, along with party functionaries and cadre, paid floral tributes to a portrait of Nehru at party headquarters Satyamurthy Bhavan here.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, addressing a Childrens Day function in Hyderabad, said the government was planning to introduce easy syllabus in schools for the integrated development of children.

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy, his cabinet collegues, legislators, AICC general secretary B K Hariprasad and senior officals garlnded the statue of the architect of modern India on behalf of the territorial administration.

Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane led Goa in paying rich tributes to the first prime minister of India.

In this connection, the Chief Minister presented ''Gomant Bal Bhushan Awards-2005'' to nine children for their meritorious performance in science, art and creative writing skills.

UNI TEAM YA RAI1851