Saturday, November 19 2005 19:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The nation today paid rich tributes to late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 88th birth anniversary at her 'Shakti Sthal' memorial here.

Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Delhi L-G B L Joshi, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit offered floral tributes at the 'Shakti Sthal' memorial amid slogans of 'Indira Gandhi Amar Rahe.' A wreath was laid at the memorial on behalf of President A P J Abdul Kalam.

Union Ministers Shivraj Patil, Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Sis Ram Ola, National Commission for Women Chairperson Girija Vyas, Congress leaders Mohsina Kidwai, Margaret Alva, Jagdish Tytler, Naveen Jindal, Ashok Gehlot and the late Prime Minister's close confidant R K Dhawan were among those who attended the prayer meet at the memorial. Volunteers of Nehru Brigade, under the leadership of former Delhi deputy mayor Ramesh Dutta, raised slogans hailing Indira Gandhi.

In Parliament House, Prime Minister Singh, UPA Chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Leader of Opposition and BJP chief L K Advani, a number of senior ministers and MPs offered floral tributes to late Gandhi.

They visited the Central Hall of Parliament and offerred their homage to Gandhi's portrait remembering her rich contributions to the nation.

The only child of first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru and Kamala Nehru, Indira was born this day in 1917 in Anand Bhavan in Allahabad and became Prime Minister on January 24, 1966.