In the 21st century, the thoughts of Gandhi remain as essential as they were in his time and offer solutions to several problems the world faces.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an eminent freedom activist and an influential political leader who played a dominant role in India's struggle for independence.

The announcement was made by Maloney during the popular India Day Parade in New York in August.

The day also marks the launch of 150th-anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi would be the first Indian to receive a Congressional Gold Medal, an honour bestowed upon eminent leaders such the first US President George Washington, Mandela, Mother Teresa and civil rights activist Rosa Parks.

He had said Nehru had a "self-centred attitude" to become India's first prime minister even though Mahatma Gandhi was in favour of Muhammad Ali Jinnah taking the top post at that time.

He also claimed India's partition would not have happened if Mahatma Gandhi's wish of Jinnah becoming the prime minister had materialised.

He quoted Mahatma Gandhi as saying, "When I visited RSS camp I was surprised by your discipline and absence of untouchability"