Birthday boy: President Pranab cuts cake aboard Air India One

The celebrations were low key in view of the five day mourning being observed as a mark of respect to the late anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.

FP Archives|Dec 11, 2013, 16:41:39 IST

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee turned 78 today and was greeted by Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other dignitaries.Arriving in New Delhi this morning after attending the memorial service for Nelson Mandela, he began the day by inaugurating a Recreation Club Guest House and Kaveri Residential Complex as part of redevelopment scheme within the Presidential Estate.[caption id="attachment_1281995" align="alignleft" width="380"] President Pranab Mukherjee along with his member of delegation at Air India Special Aircraft on the way back to India after attending the Memorial Service in honour of the former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela on 11 December 2013. Image courtesy PIB[/caption]Later, the President received Ansari, the prime minister, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde who presented bouquets and wished him on the occasion.Mukherjee met general public for 30 minutes today to receive their wishes. The celebrations were low key in view of the five day mourning being observed as a mark of respect to the late anti-apartheid icon.Earlier after take off from Johannesburg, the President cut the cake on board the special Air India aircraft in the presence of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, MPs Sitaram Yechurry and Satish Mishra. The leaders greeted him on the occasion. PTI

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