Nation pays tributes to Rajiv Gandhi on 63rd birth anniversary

New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and several Cabinet ministers today led the nation in paying homage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 63rd birth anniversary.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi along with her son and MP Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka, son-in-law Robert Vadra and two grandchildren was among the first to reach 'Vir Bhoomi', the former Prime Minister's memorial, to pay her respects on his birth anniversary observed as 'Sadbhavna Divas'.

Several senior Congress leaders and Youth Congress workers were also present on the occasion.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and a host of Congress leaders, were among those who paid floral tributes to the departed leader.

UNI