Today we celebrate Gandhi Jayanti, to commemorate the 153rd anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth. Gandhi's birthday, 2 October, is commemorated in India as a national holiday, and worldwide as the International Day of Nonviolence.

Mahatma Gandhi was the definition of a spiritual being living a spiritually rewarding life by sharing his wisdom and sacrificing everything so others could reach enlightenment. Born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat, raised in a Hindu family in coastal Gujarat, Gandhi trained in the law at the Inner Temple, London, and was called to the bar at age 22 in June 1891. After two uncertain years in India, where he was unable to start a successful law practice, he moved to South Africa in 1893 to represent an Indian merchant in a lawsuit. He went on to live in South Africa for 21 years. It was here that Gandhi raised a family and first employed nonviolent resistance in a campaign for civil rights. In 1915, aged 45, he returned to India and soon set about organizing peasants, farmers, and urban laborers to protest against excessive land-tax and discrimination.

Gandhi Celebrates his 153rd birth anniversary with the world. In order to show respect for the leader, prayer services and cultural activities are held on this day in schools, universities, and even government institutions. On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tributes to the ‘father of the nation’ Mahatma Gandhi. The Satyagraha and Ahimsa movements were initiated by Mahatma Gandhi while India was still under British rule. Since then, many civil rights throughout the nation have been affected by his strategy of pursuing nonviolence and persuading adversaries through the power of love and compassion. In addition to leading India's fight for independence, Mahatma Gandhi sacrificed his life for the good of the nation. His teachings are still relevant today as millions share his messages of Love, Compassion, and Forgiveness throughout the world.