On the 68th death anniversary of Mahatama Gandhi, the nation paid homage to the Father of the Nation. The people of India paid homage to Gandhi on martyrdom day when he was assassinated on January 30, 1948. Programmes will be organised across the country to mark the occasion. All-religion prayers will be held in Rajghat at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Mohammed Hamid Ansari, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, and the three service Chiefs will lay wreaths at the memorial of Gandhi. Prayers will also be offered at Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on his death anniversary.

Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar in Gujarat. He spent most of his life in the Independence Day struggle.

 Did You Know??? 

• Mahatma Gandhi was nominated for the Nobel Peace prize 5 times
• M. K. Gandhi was responsible for the Civil Rights movement in 4 continents and 12 countries
• Great Britain, the country against whom he fought for independence, released a stamp honouring him, 21 years after his death
• Gandhiji was not present during Nehru’s tryst of destiny speech to celebrate independence
• Most relics of Gandhiji including the clothes he wore when he was shot are still preserved in Gandhi Museum, Madurai
• Gandhi has influenced almost all leaders of the 20th century. Some include – Martin Luther King, Syu Ki, Nelson Mandela and many more.

 Vocabulary 

• Martyrdom means the death or suffering of a martyr.
• Martyr means a person who is killed because of his beliefs.
• Wreath means a ring or circlet of flowers, boughs, or leaves worn on the head, placed on a memorial, or hung as a decoration.