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Nation pays tribute to Indira on her 98th birth anniversary

Last updated on: November 19, 2015 13:40 IST

Image: Congress President Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi paid their tributes at the Shakti Sthal in New Delhi. All photographs: INC/Twitter

President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and top leaders of the Congress on Thursday paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 98th birth anniversary.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, party Vice President Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were among the Congress leaders, who paid floral tributes to the leader at her memorial 'Shakti Sthal' on the banks of river Yamuna.

Image: President Pranab Mukherjee pays his tributes.

Indira as cremated at 'Shakti Sthal' after she was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

Other Congress leaders to pay floral tributes to Indira, included MS Bitta, Ashok Gehlot and Motilal Vora, among others.

Image: Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

While no one from the National Democratic Alliance government was present, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to pay homage to Indira.

"Tributes to Indira ji on her birth anniversary," he tweeted.

Image: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

A recorded speech by Indira was played on the occasion, following which tri-colour balloons were released by the leaders.

Devotional music was played during the programme and an all-religion prayer was also organised.

Image: President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, formerPM Dr Manmohan Singh Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and party president Sonia Gandhi.

Indira was born on November 19, 1917 in the politically influential Nehru family. The first female prime minister of India, she served as PM from 1966 to 1977 and then again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984.

She is also the second-longest-serving prime minister of India.