The nation is celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari led the countrymen in paying tributes to Pandit Nehru.

The two leaders offered flowers at his Samadhi, Shantivan in New Delhi this morning. Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi also paid floral tributes.

AIR Correspondent reports that a prayer meeting was also held at the venue. The government has organized several programmes to celebrate the day.

The Congress party has also lined up a series of functions across the country. A key event in the year long celebrations is an international conference on Nehru and his vision. Diplomats, leaders and intellectuals from across the world will attend the two-day function, beginning from Monday in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is in Australia on his official visit, also paid tributes to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his 125th birth anniversary. In a tweet, Mr Modi said, the nation remembers Pandit Nehru's efforts during the freedom struggle and his role as the first Prime Minister.

Floral tributes were also paid at the portrait of Pandit Nehru in Parliament House. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi were among the dignitaries present.