VICTORIA, Seychelles — Seychelles joined the rest of the world on Thursday to celebrate the 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian Nation and a world citizen, with a small ceremony at the Peace Park in Victoria, where a statue of him stands.
The ceremony began with a prayer by the young Ryan Bharadwaj. The Indian High Commissioner to Seychelles, Rohit Rathish, then related the story of Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, India. He pursued law in London before moving to South Africa, where he began his career as a lawyer. It was there, confronted with the harsh realities of racial discrimination, that he developed his philosophy of non-violent resistance.
Mr Rathish noted that Gandhi’s legacy of peace and non-violence continues to inspire millions of people around the world, including in Seychelles, where the Indian community has played an important role in the social, economic and cultural development of the country. He added that the values championed by Gandhi remain relevant today, particularly in the context of global efforts to build more peaceful and inclusive societies.
The ceremony, organised by the High Commission of India in collaboration with the Seychelles government, ended with the laying of flowers at the foot of the Mahatma Gandhi statue. Members of the Indian community, government officials and members of the public were present at the event.
