Embassy of India

Caracas, Venezuela

SPEECH BY SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH, AMBASSADOR OF INDIA TO VENEZUELA FOR THE BIRTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF MAHATMA GANDHI AT GANDHI HALL, AYUSH INFORMATION CELL, MARACAY

Dear Members of Gran Fraternidad Universal,

Friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

          Greetings from Embassy of India in Caracas.

2.      I would like to convey my warmest greetings to all on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.  Today, we also complete the celebrations of the 150^th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.  Born in 1869, Mahatma Gandhi became a leading and one of the most respected personalities of his time.  Mahatma Gandhi developed his philosophy of Ahimsa and Satyagraha which were instrumental in the recovery of India’s independence.

3.      Gandhiji’s political and social work were based on strong principles.  One of the most important one was his emphasis on ‘ends-means nexus’.  For him both the objectives as well as the means to achieve those objectives were important.  Any form of violence was simply unacceptable to Mahatma Gandhi.  When faced with violence, he sometime suffered immensely but did not compromise and made the perpetrators of the violence realize their mistake.  Gandhiji truly believed in the philosophy of civil disobedience.  He could not be party to anything premised on discrimination and exploitation.

4.      Gandhiji’s whole life was, in his own words, an experiment with truth.  He was not born with all these qualities rather he worked hard and sharpened his ability to practice them.  Even after independence, several world leaders believed in his philosophy and based their struggle on them.  One of the finest example in this context was the great leader of South Africa Nelson Mandela.

5.      Friends, today brings the closure of the 150^th birth anniversary celebrations.  I would like to thank the organisers of today’s event from the Gran Fraternidad Universal for their efforts.  It is symbolic that this event is taking place in the Gandhi Hall in the Ayush Information Cell in Maracay.  I would have certainly attended this event in person but due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic, I am sending this video message.  I would once again thank all of you for participating in today’s event.

6.      Long live India-Venezuela friendship.

7.      Long live the legacy of Gandhiji.

          Thank you.