London marks Gandhi Jayanti through floral tributes, bhajans, peace march

LONDON on Saturday (2) witnessed events being organised in different parts to commemorate the 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. While Indian High Commissioner to the UK HE Gaitri Issar Kumar paid floral tributes to the statue of the iconic leader in Parliament Square, bhajans and talks were organised on the enduring legacy of the life and teachings of the 'Father of the Nation'.

At the Gandhi statue in Tavistock Square Gardens in London, Deputy High Commissioner of India Sujit Ghosh welcomed Councillor Sabrina Francis, the mayor of Camden, for a special ceremony attended by the heads of the defence wings of the Indian high commission and community leaders.

Wreaths were placed to pay homage to the Gandhi Memorial by the deputy high commissioner, heads of the defence wings, community leaders, councillors and the members of parliament. The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and the Sargam Cultural Institute collaborated to play some of Gandhi’s favourite bhajans.

The Gita Foundation and the National Association of Patidar Samaj also organised a peace march on the day.

HE Kumar inaugurated an illuminating exhibition on the life of Gandhi illustrated in photographs and curated by Mr Pandey from India’s Benaras. She also announced at the event the curation of a special volume of essays by noted Gandhian scholars.

At the Nehru Centre, the high commission’s cultural wing, a virtual interaction was hosted by the centre’s director Amish Tripathi and film-maker Rajkumar Hirani on the concept of ‘Gandhigiri’, as popularised in his ‘Munnabhai' films.

The high commission also launched with the support of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan virtual Sanskrit Speaking Classes lessons for 10 weeks starting October 2.