Embassy of India
Phnom Penh

Press Release

Celebration of 154^th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

On October 2, 2023, the Embassy of India in Phnom Penh celebrated the 154th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation. The celebrations included floral tributes by H.E. Dr. Devyani Khobragade, Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Cambodia, Embassy officials, and members of the Indian Diaspora in Cambodia to the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Freedom Park Spean Nagar in Phnom Penh.

Ambassador Dr. Devyani Khobragade, in her address at the occasion, highlighted the teachings and way of simple and truthful life of Mahatma Gandhi. She said that Mahatma Gandhi was the strongest man behind the freedom movement in India, and that also through non-violence. Ambassador highlighted the significance of the fact that Mahatma Gandhi not only preached the idea of non-violence but also successfully practiced it.

Ambassador added that Rabindranath Tagore, a great Indian poet, scholar, and the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, accorded the title of Mahatma- meaning a great soul, to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. To acknowledge his popularity, Time magazine named Mahatma Gandhi the “Man of the Year” in 1930. In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly announced that his date of birth, i.e. the 2nd of October, would be celebrated every year as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Ambassador also mentioned that Mahatma Gandhi's thoughts and writings are taught in several world-class universities and schools. His autobiography, “My Experiment with Truth,” is among the all-time best-sellers in the world. She said that since Mahatma Gandhi always advocated cleanliness in our lives—physically and mentally—Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi couldn’t have had a better day to start the Swachh Bharat Mission-Cleanliness Drive throughout India than the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2nd, 2014.

Concluding her remarks, the Ambassador said that continuing the cleanliness drive in our lives and neighbourhoods is a great tribute that we all can offer to Mahatma Gandhi, who will always be remembered as a great Indian philosopher, social reformer, and peaceful freedom fighter. Ambassador thanked the members of the Indian diaspora for their active participation in the event. The celebration concluded with participants enjoying Indian refreshments and sweets.

*****