Nation pays tribute to Nehru on his 46th death anniversary

New Delhi, May 27 (ANI): Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led the nation in paying floral tributes to India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on his 46th death anniversary on Thursday.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and other senior leaders also paid floral tributes at Shanti Van, the memorial dedicated to Nehru.

An all religion prayer meeting was organised at the venue.

Several functions are being organised across the country to mark the occasion. Many welfare schemes are being launched today by various state governments.

A pivotal figure during India's independence movement, Nehru was born on November 14, 1889 in Allahabad. Nehru graduated from Cambridge University, and returned to India in 1912.

He was also a key figure in international politics in the post-war period, and was one of the founding figures of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Popularly referred to as Panditji, Nehru was also a writer, a scholar and an amateur historian.

Nehru was one of the youngest leaders of the Indian National Congress and was jailed seven times.

He was independent India's first Prime Minister from August 15, 1947 to May 27, 1964. (ANI)