Amaravati, Aug 2 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday paid rich tributes to Pingali Venkayya, the designer of the Indian national flag on his 146th birth anniversary.

The state government organised the birth anniversary celebrations as part of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'.

At a programme held at his official residence in Tadepalle, the chief minister hoisted the national flag, took the salute from the police and garlanded the bust of the freedom fighter.

Jagan Mohan Reddy also inaugurated a photo exhibition on the life of Pingali Venkayya.

He also unveiled the portrait of Pingali which was painted by the Director of Culture Department Regulla Mallikharjuna Rao.

Minister for Panchayat Raj Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Government Advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, Government and other senior officials attended the programme.

Meanwhile, former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also paid tributes to Pingali on the birth anniversary. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief said the great son of the soil created a special place in the hearts of crores of Indians by designing the national flag.

Naidu said that the nation's call to hoist the tricolour on every house as part of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' is the honour for Telugu-speaking people, thanks to Pingali Venkayya.

The former chief minister recalled the services rendered by Pingali not just in the freedom fight but also in the fields of education and science.

Born near Machilipatnam on August 2, 1876, Pingali had designed many models of the national flag. In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi approved a design during the Indian National Congress meeting in Vijayawada.