Report by Manoranjan Routray, Koraput: District level Gandhi Jayanti celebration was held at Koraput today. The District Administration, along with the school children’s, private organizations organised "prabhat pheri" , meetings and rallies, paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his birthday. The District Magistrate & Collector, Sachin R Jadhav and other district level officials, MLAs, children and the hundreds of citizen from the town garlanded the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

About 700 students drawn from various government schools attended the programmes. On the occasion, prizes were distributed among the winners of district level debate and song competition held on September last.

Speaking on  143rd birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi the guests remembered the great contribution of Gandhi Ji who led the freedom movement of the country and achieved it through non-violent means. The guests also threw light on life of Lal Bahadur Shastri ji on his 108th birthday and recalling his contributions said he was symbol of honesty and simplicity and high values.  His slogan of Jai Jawan Jai Kissan reflected his statesmanship and the respect enjoyed by him in hearts of countrymen.

Gandhi Jayanti or Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti is observed every year as a National Holiday to commemorate the birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the “Father of the Nation” born on October 2, 1869.

His nonviolence or Satyagrah continues to influence political leaders and movements till date. The celebration and essence of Gandhi Jayanti is not limited within India and also observed by the United Nations as the International day of Non violence that aims to disseminate his philosophy, principle and believe in non violence through proper education and public awareness.