Sonia, Manmohan, Pranab pay tributes to Indira Gandhi on birth anniversary

Top Congress leaders, including party chief Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday paid homage to Indira Gandhi here on her 102nd birth anniversary.

Former president Pranab Mukherjee, ex-vice president Hamid Ansari, Congress leaders, MPs and party workers also paid floral tributes to the former prime minister atShakti Sthal, her memorial.

Indira Gandhi was the prime minister between 1966 and 1977 and later between 1980 and 1984. She was born on this day in 1917 in Allahabad.

"On her birth anniversary we pay homage to India's first female Prime Minister, the Late Smt Indira Gandhi. Her will and determination led our country to great heights," the Congress said in a tweet from its official Twitter handle.

"Her contributions to India's national security, economy and foreign policy will always be cherished," the party said.

Rahul Gandhi said the former prime minister played an important role in establishing India as a strong country.

"Blessed with a strong, capable leadership and amazing management ability, Iron lady who played a key role in establishing India as a strong country and my beloved grandmother late Mrs Indira Gandhi. My tributes to her on her birth anniversary," he tweeted in Hindi.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh, Milind Deora and Kumari Selja were among the senior party leaders who paid tributes to the former prime minister on Twitter.

"Charismatic, Courageous, Consequential and also Controversial. But her legacy, as the only PM for whom environmental protection was of paramount importance, is indisputable," Ramesh said in a tweet.