President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary at Rajghat on Thursday. The solemn ceremony marked the 156th birth anniversary of Gandhi, known as the Father of the Nation, and the 121st birth anniversary of Shastri, remembered as one of India’s most respected leaders.
Prime Minister Modi, in a post on X, described Gandhi Jayanti as an occasion to honour the extraordinary life of “Bapu,” whose ideas transformed human history. “He demonstrated how courage and simplicity could become instruments of great change,” the Prime Minister wrote. He underlined Gandhi’s belief in service and compassion, saying that these values continue to guide India’s progress.
The Prime Minister also paid tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri, hailing him as an extraordinary statesman who embodied integrity, humility, and determination. “His clarion call of Jai Jawan Jai Kisan ignited patriotism across the nation and continues to inspire us to build a strong and self-reliant India,” Modi said. 
Linking Gandhi’s principles with his own push for self-reliance, Modi urged citizens to adopt swadeshi by buying locally made products. He said that supporting Indian goods and industries would be the most meaningful tribute to Gandhi and Shastri. “Swadeshi is the foundation of a developed and self-reliant India,” he added.
Mahatma Gandhi, born in 1869 in Gujarat, remains one of the most influential leaders of his era. Through truth and non-violence, he mobilised millions in India’s freedom struggle, gaining admiration worldwide. Lal Bahadur Shastri, born in Uttar Pradesh in 1904, became India’s second Prime Minister after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru. Despite his short tenure, he left a lasting impact, leading the nation during the 1965 war with Pakistan and strengthening the call for food and national security.
