The Hindu : Front Page : Nation pays homage to Rajiv Gandhi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 21, 2006

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Front Page

Nation pays homage to Rajiv Gandhi

Staff Reporter

Various functions mark the former Prime Minister's 62nd birth anniversary

— Photo: Sandeep Saxena

IN REMEMBRANCE: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi along with her son Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Vadra, son-in-law Robert Vadra and grand children, paying homage to Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary at Vir Bhoomi in New Delhi on Sunday.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led the nation in paying homage to the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, on his 62nd birth anniversary on Sunday.

Mr. Singh visited Vir Bhoomi, samadhi of the late leader, here and paid floral tributes. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Vadra were present. Many Union Ministers and senior Congress leaders also paid homage.

Apart from a large number of party workers, people from all walks of life also paid tributes at the samadhi.

A function was organised at the Central Hall of Parliament, where several leaders offered flowers at the late leader's portrait. Led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan, many Cabinet Ministers and MPs recalled the pioneering work done by Rajiv Gandhi during his tenure.

Party workers and people carrying flowers, bouquets and balloons visited Ms. Gandhi's 10 Janpath residence. Ms. Gandhi took part in several functions organised during the day. She distributed tricycles and scooters to physically challenged people and launched the All-India Congress Committee website in Urdu at her residence.

She also attended functions organised by various wings of the Congress.

Award distributed

The Prime Minister and the Congress president also attended the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award function in the evening.

This year's award was presented to Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande by the former Chief Justice of India, A.M. Ahmadi.

In the morning, Ms. Gandhi inaugurated the Delhi Congress' new office building — Rajiv Bhavan — at Rouse Avenue.

She unfurled the national flag and cut the ribbon in the presence of AICC general secretaries Ashok Gehlot and Janardan Dwivedi. She also took round of the plush building complex and appreciated the efforts of party workers, particularly Delhi Congress president Ram Babu Sharma, in completing the project.

Delhi Chief Minster Sheila Dikshit was present.

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