Nation pays homage to Indira Gandhi

New Delhi, Oct 31: President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari led the nation in paying homage to Indira Gandhi on her 24th anniversary of the Martyrdom here Friday, Oct 31. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi also paid floral tributes at Shakti Sthal.

Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards at her residence on Oct 31, 1984. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 to 1984. She was elected to Parliament for the first time in 1964 and also served as the country's Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the government of Lal Bahadur Shastri.

She is noted for declaring a state of emergency after a court struck down her election in 1975, and also for her handling of the 'Operation Blue Star' against Sikh militants.

Indira Gandhi was born in Allahabad in 1917 and was the only child of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister and Kamala Nehru.

She was the recipient of India's highest civil award, Bharat Ratna.

ANI