Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led the nation in paying homage to the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 62nd birth anniversary on Sunday.

Dr Singh offered flowers at Vir Bhoomi, memorial of Rajiv Gandhi, and stood in silence for a few seconds in memory of the late leader who became the country's youngest prime minister at the age of 40.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and a host of other dignitaries also paid floral tributes to the former premier.

Devotional music rent the air as scores of political leaders and Congress

workers remembered the late leader for his services to the nation.

The prime minister and the Congress president later paid floral tributes to the potrait of Rajiv Gandhi in the Central hall of Parliament.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Union ministers Kapil Sibal, Mahabir Prasad and Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Political secretary to Congress Chief Ahmed Patel and party treasurer Moti Lal Vora were among others who paid tributes.

Sonia also inaugurated a new five-storey building of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee named 'Rajiv Bhawan,' which would house Delhi units of the party including its Student, Youth and Mahila wing.