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Martin Luther King III, Consul General of India
Pay Rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi
BY RAVI R. PONANGI
Martin Luther King III, Consul General of India, Sanjiv Arora and other dignitaries paid rich tributes to Gandhiji on Sunday October 2, the 141st birth anniversary of the Mahatma,which was observed globally as the day of non violence.
The Gandhi Foundation of USA (GFUSA) with the support of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center and National Park Service celebrated the birth anniversary at the MLK Jr.National Historic Site. Subash Razdan, chairman of GFUSA in his opening remarks said, “it is a very noble mission that GFUSA embarked upon, along with our partners, National Park Service, King Center and the community.”
This year’s Gandhi Jayanti was celebrated in the august presence of Martin Luther King III, Dr. A Chakrapani, Chairman of Legislative council of Andhra Pradesh, Sarvodaya leader, G. Prasad along with Consul general of India Sanjiv Arora who has been attending the celebrations year after year, and is a great supporter of GFUSA.
Following a floral homage to Gandhiji at the Mahatma Gandhi Statue, dignitaries led the peace march to the Freedom Hall. Martin Luther King III, Dr. Chakrapani and Consul General Sanjiv Arora also paid tributes and placed flowers at the final resting place of Dr. King and his wife Mrs. Coretta Scot King.
Martin Luther King III, in his address, said the King Center joined in celebrating Gandhi day every year with a spirit of gratitude and as a magnificent example of leadership provided by King and Gandhi.
“As a result of my pilgrimage to India, my commitment honoring Gandhi as a typical instrument on my father’s life and world has deepened. Gandhi’s teaching has been instrumental not only in American civil rights movement but also liberations of nations as diverse as Poland, Philippines and South Africa. The success of the civil rights movement is the courageous leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Gandhi’s teachings.”
He said, Gandhi was in his life from an early age. “A portrait of Gandhi adorned our dining room. So, I was aware of Gandhi’s greatness from an early period of my life. In one of my father’s photos, he is reading a book titled ‘Gandhi a leader’. It is clear to me that my father wanted people to study Gandhi because he knew his teaching was the key to achieving human rights, self determination, freedom, peace and prosperity for people everywhere. My father was deeply influenced not only by the Gandhi philosophy of non violence but also by Gandhi’s uncompromised commitment to truth, his shining example of compassion, integrity and unconditional love of all people. Mahatma Gandhi provided Martin Luther King Jr. a conclusive proof, a revolution, a non violent revolution to get freedom, self determination to millions of people.”
King exhorted the gathering to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary with a recommitment to his teachings, “so that we wage a world wide non violent movement to stop terrorism and war and prejudice and eliminate poverty and deprivation.”
In his keynote address, Consul General Sanjiv Arora said the Mahatma was born in India but his philosophy of non-violence and his ideals and the story of his life belongs to the entire humanity. The life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi are remembered not only in India but also around the world. The life and message he gave during the times he lived and the message he left for generations to come is of eternal significance. That is all the more relevant in the changing times at all levels in today’s world.”
The Consul general said the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta have the most enduring connection. “We have the wonderful Gandhi King legacy,” he said. “Two of the greatest visionaries, greatest leaders, two of greatest idealists in modern history who by practicing the same principles, following the same philosophy of non-violence, satyagraha, civil disobedience movement shaped the destiny of the world’s two largest democracies, India and United States of America. Let each one of us pause in reflection and contemplate in what ways we can carry forward those ideals and in what ways we can contribute to over all societal good,” he said.
The Consul General commended GFUSA for its role in carrying forward the everlasting Gandhi King legacy. He said he admired the role played by the active Indian American community here in nurturing the relationship between the two largest democracies of the world.
Dr. Chakrapani, in his remarks, said that the name of Gandhi gives him inspiration. The peace march that began in Atlanta should go global. At all levels, in every nook and corner of the universe, peace is the only solution for development and prosperity, he said.
Earlier, Antony Thaliath, executive director of GFUSA welcomed the gathering. Members of Sadhu Vasvani group rendered Gandhi’s favorite Bhjans. The celebration concluded with a group singing of the civil rights anthem, ‘We shall overcome’.