Key Points

The prayer meet was held at Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi.

This year marks the 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, remembered as the Father of the Nation for his pivotal role in India's freedom struggle.

Born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, revered as Mahatma Gandhi, was the pioneer of non-violent resistance. Through his philosophy of ahimsa and satyagraha, he mobilised millions of Indians to participate in the freedom struggle against British colonial rule.

On January 30, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse at Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi, just months after India attained independence.

Earlier today, PM Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat.

Union Minister Manohar Lal accompanied the Prime Minister during the tribute ceremony.

The Prime Minister paid homage to Gandhi in a post on X, recalling his courage and values of service and compassion.

PM Modi said the nation would continue to follow the Mahatma's path in its quest for a 'Viksit Bharat.'

"Gandhi Jayanti is about paying homage to the extraordinary life of beloved Bapu, whose ideals transformed the course of human history. He demonstrated how courage and simplicity could become instruments of great change. He believed in the power of service and compassion as essential means of empowering people. We will keep following his path in our quest to build a Viksit Bharat," the Prime Minister wrote.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the introduction of the concepts of Swadeshi and Khadi to the country not only improved the lives of impoverished people but also accelerated the freedom movement.

Speaking at a press conference at New Delhi's Khadi India today, Shah said that the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, awakened the people of the country and made them stand against the British.

"It was Mahatma Gandhi who recognised the soul of India. He awakened the people of India and made them stand against the British... In a way, we cannot separate the freedom movement from Khadi and Swadeshi. At that time, India was a market for English textile mills. By introducing the country to the concepts of Swadeshi and Khadi, Mahatma Gandhi not only accelerated the freedom movement but also brought light to the lives of many impoverished people. For a long time, both Khadi and Swadeshi were forgotten. In 2003, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he launched a major campaign to revive Khadi in Gujarat...From 2014 to today, Khadi has grown hundreds of times. Today, the turnover has reached 1.7 billion rupees. I believe this is a huge achievement," Shah said, addressing the media.

Appealing to the people to invest at least Rs 5,000 worth of Khadi products annually, Shah said that both campaigns would bring employment to the country's people and also align with the mission of bringing the country to a top position in the world by 2047.

- ANI