Indian community celebrate Gandhi's anniversary

Ghandi's birthday, October 2, was declared by the UN General Assembly in 2007 as the International Day of Non-Violence in his honour. The Indian community celebrated with music and poetry. There were speeches by diplomats, academics and representatives of the Indian community in Gaborone.

University of Botswana professor, Keshav Sharma, described Gandhi as a man who led India's freedom movement by applying the principles of truth, non-violence, non-cooperation and civil disobedience."He was a charismatic leader, statesman, political philosopher, teacher, preacher, all in one," Sharma said. "It was due to these extraordinary strengths of his personality that Rabindra Nath Tagore called him Mahatma, meaning Great Soul, and he came to be known as such. He became the father of the nation and Bapu for millions of his countrymen." The Indian High Commissioner to Botswana, Madhava Chandram said the occasion was not just about celebrating Gandhi, but also about exploring what Gandhi might say and do today.