India is remembering Mahatma Gandhi on Sunday on the occasion of his birth anniversary. His birthday on October 2 is observed as Gandhi Jayanti on India.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the first to visit Rajghat in New Delhi on Sunday to pay homage to Gandhi.
Sharing a video on Gandhi on Twitter, Modi said, "Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti. This Gandhi Jayanti is even more special because India is marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. May be always live up to Bapu’s ideals. I also urge you all to purchase Khadi and handicrafts products as a tribute to Gandhi Ji."
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In the video, Modi says that Gandhi's thoughts inspired the whole world.
"Whether it's Martin Luther King Jr or Nelson Mandela, everyone found strength in Gandhi ji's words and waged long struggles to get their people the right to equality and dignity," said Modi in the video.
Murmu in a message to the nation said Gandhi Jayanti is an occasion to rededicate our lives to the values Gandhi believed in, such as peace, equity, and communal harmony.
"A century ago, Gandhiji inspired millions with his call of Swadeshi and his stress on self-reliance. The making of an Atmanirbhar Bhart, which is under way, is, thus, inspired by his vision of clean India, a healthy India. The initiatives taken in this regard have been bearing fruits now," said Murmu.
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United Nations Secretary General António Guterres also remembered Gandhi, saying that today's challenges can be defeated with Gandhian values. The UN has been observing October 2 as International Day of Non-Violence since 2007.
"On the International Day of Non-Violence, we celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday and values of peace, respect and the essential dignity shared by everyone. We can defeat today's challenges by embracing these values and working across cultures & borders to build a better future," said Guterres in a tweet.
