A series of events was held on October 2 to begin the 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi. Many events focusing on the life and philosophy of Gandhi are planned to be held during the next two years. Mahatma Gandhi travelled extensively in Sri Lanka during his visit, in 1927.
President Maithripala Sirisena held a special programme to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the Presidential Secretariat. The High Commission of India created a special video “Vaishnav Jana To”, a bhajan liked by Gandhi, sung by Sri Lankan artistes – Bathia, Santhush and Umaria. The video was launched at the event by President Sirisena.
The Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu also gifted a portrait of Gandhi to President Sirisena.
As a tribute to Gandhi, special commemorative postal stamps were released by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya launched a book in Sinhalese on Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Sri Lanka, written by Sampath Bandara, at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
A special musical performance by the Violin Maestro Dr. L. Subramaniam and the National Leipaja Latvian Philharmonic Orchestra was held at the Nelum Pokuna auditorium, in the evening. The event was attended by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Prof. Maithree Wickremesinghe, Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Leader of Opposition R Sampanthan, Governor Hemakumara Nanayakkara, and many distinguished dignitaries from cultural, professional, academic and business areas.