Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri birth anniversaries

India is observing Gandhi Jayanti to mark the 157th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, 2026. Recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Non-Violence, the occasion includes prayer meetings at Raj Ghat and various cultural activities. The United Nations officially established the International Day of Non-Violence in 2007 via resolution A/RES/61/271, following a proposal by India that was co-sponsored by over 140 countries and passed unanimously. The observance aims to promote peace, tolerance, and understanding through education and public awareness. In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan visited Rajghat to pay floral tributes at Gandhi’s samadhi. President Murmu emphasized that Gandhi’s messages of peace are vital amidst current global conflicts, connecting his principle of ‘Sarvodaya’—the welfare and upliftment of all—to India’s objective of becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India) by 2047. Prime Minister Modi further emphasized Gandhi’s messages of truth, non-violence, and self-reliance, encouraging the use of Khadi to promote the spirit of Swadeshi. Other political leaders, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, also attended ceremonies, with some noting the challenges to Gandhian values of truth and non-violence in modern political discourse. In Telangana, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy paid respects at Bapu Ghat in Hyderabad and inaugurated a digital museum dedicated to Gandhi. In addition to honoring Gandhi, the nation is also observing the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, noting his legacy of simplicity and his ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ slogan. To coincide with the anniversary, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has announced a nationwide 30-day cleanliness drive running through October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.