President Pranab Mukherjee Monday paid homage at Sathya Sai Baba's "Mahasamadhi" at Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district.

 

 Accompanied by Governor E.S.L Narasimhan and Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, he visited Prasanthi Nilayam and paid floral tributes at the Mahasamadhi.

 

 "After the floral tribute, the president offered prayers at the Mahasamadhi and then at the Mandir," said a statement from Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust.

 

 The trustees received the president and briefed him about the activities of the trust.

 

 Mukherjee stopped at Puttapathi while returning to Hyderabad from Anantapur, where he participated in the concluding function of the birth centenary celebrations of former president Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy.

 

 The president, who is on a southern sojourn, left Hyderabad Monday morning along with the governor and the chief minister by a special aircraft. After landing at Puttapathi, they flew to Anantapur in helicopters. They returned to Hyderabad by the same route.