India PM leads nation in Mahatma Gandhi tributes

Reuters: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying homage to iconic freedom movement leader, Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in New Delhi on his 150th birth anniversary on Wednesday (October 2). Modi, along with other leaders including Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, opposition Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, offered flowers to the slain leader and remembered the father of the nation on the occasion. Along with the leaders, school children, and the general public also assembled at the memorial to pay their respects to Gandhi. India observes October 2 as not only Gandhi's birthday but also as International Day of non-violence, the ideal that Gandhi fought for throughout his life. Gandhi, who was born in 1869, played a key role in India's fight for independence. He was assassinated on January 30, 1948, just few months after he led India to freedom from British rule through a non-violent struggle.