CHICAGO: Members of Indian community in Chicagoland celebrated the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in a manner befitting the stature of Mahatma with the Indian Consulate in collaboration with Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Trust taking lead in hosting an event at its premises in Chicago Downtown.
The Consulate celebration was highlighted by the attendance of US Congresswoman from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard and also a good number of Chicago elites. The event started with peace and harmony music.
onsul OP Meena welcomed the guests. The opening remarks were delivered by Acting CG D.B. Bhati. He observed that Mahatma Gandhi had influenced the course of world history in the 20th century by his leadership of the Indian freedom movement. Through his legacy of non-violence and noble life his is still a big inspirational force. Basic values underlying his “Experiments with Truth” were applied by him both to the political sphere and also in his personal life.
The personality of Mahatma Gandhi left a deep impact on the minds of all those who came in his contact. It was because of Gandhiji’s ideals that Albert Einstein mentioned about him that “Generations to come, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this Earth.”
Acting CG Bhatti also took opportunity to inform the attendees about the inauguration of Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra by PM Narendra Modi. He said that the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra is a tribute to the overseas Indian community and commemorates their migration to various parts of the world, the challenges they faced abroad, their achievements and contributions. Over time, the Kendra is expected to develop into a hub of activities for sustainable, symbiotic and mutually rewarding economic, social and cultural engagements between India and its Diaspora.
He appealed to the Indian Diaspora to participate in Pravasi Bharatiya convention being organized at Bengaluru from 7th January to 9th January, 2017 and register themselves at the earliest on the PBD website www.pbdindia.gov.in.
The celebrations included a PowerPoint presentation on Mahatma Gandhi by Dr. Sri Ram Sonti and visuals drawn by Arvind Gunna Patel who also presented a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi to Bhatti and distributed bookmarks of Gandhi’s quotes to Indian Diaspora. A 57 minutes video of inauguration of Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra by Prime Minister of India was also screened.
Those gathered expressed their desire to attend the PBK and to avail various facilities available at the Kendra.
The Gandhi Memorial Trust in collaboration with the Consulate General of India in Chicago organized a peace prayer at the Gandhi Statue located at Heritage Park, McCormick Blvd, Skokie in the morning. Shri D.B. Bhati, Acting Consul General and Shri O.P. Meena, Consul, paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi by presenting a wreath on the Gandhi Statue on the occasion.
US Congresswoman from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard and Mayor of Skokie, Van Dusen also paid tribute to Gandhiji. The Mayor of Skokie marked this special day in Skokie as Peace Day with his proclamation.
Surendra Ullal
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