President on visit to Sriperumbudur stops at Chennai

Chennai, Aug 31 (UNI) President Pratibha Devisingh Patil was given a rousing welcome at the airport here today on her arrival enroute to Sriperumbudur where she will visit the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial to pay tributes to the former Prime Minister tomorrow.

This is Mrs Patil's first domestic tour after assuming office at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Mrs Patil was received at the airport among others, by Governor S S Barnala, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, senior Ministers of his cabinet, Chief Secretary L K Tripathy and representatives of three defence forces.

A guard of honour planned by the defence services could not be given due to heavy rains.

TNCC President M Krishnasamy, CLP leader D Sudarsanam and Congress legislator T Yasodha, PMK President G K Mani, party MP A K Moorthy and Chennai Mayor M Subramaniam, were among those who greeted the President on her arrival this evening.

After a brief reception at the VIP lounge, Ms Patil left for Raj Bhavan, where the Governor would host a banquet tonight in honour of the visiting dignitary.

Tomorrow, she would visit the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial at Sriperumbudur and pay her tributes to the former Prime Minister.

Later, she would inaugurate the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development at Sriperumbudur and interact with the children.

She would leave for New Delhi after the function.

UNI