The nation paid homage to Father of the Nation-Mahatma Gandhi on his 145th birth anniversary on Thursday. Along with several other leaders, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by former Kerala Governor Shiela Dikshit paid their homage to Father of the Nation at Rajghat. The leaders paid floral tributes at Rajghat - the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi on the banks of the Yamuna river. A minute's silence was observed at the black stone memorial by all the leaders. The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti across the country. It is also marked as the International Day of Non-Violence. Mahatma Gandhi, born this day in 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat, played a key role in India's independence struggle. He was assassinated on January 30, 1948..