Indo-Americans laud Obama for quoting Gandhi while addressing young African leaders

NEVADA - Indo-Americans have applauded US President Barack Obama for quoting Mahatma Gandhi while addressing 115 young leaders from over 40 countries across Africa on August three.

Obama reportedly said in this address: “So one of the things that I think everybody here has to really internalize is the notion that — I think it was Gandhi who once said you have to be the change that you seek. You have to be the change that you seek.”

Noted Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended Obama for frequently quoting Mahatma Gandhi and expressing appreciation of his ideas, and stressed that world should look deeper into Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence, his commitment to world peace, and his work for the upliftment of the downtrodden.

On Gandhi’s birth anniversary last year, Obama reportedly said: “The America of today has its roots in the India of Mahatma Gandhi and the nonviolent social action movement for Indian independence which he led.”

Rajan Zed, who is chairperson of Indo-American Leadership Confederation, further said that Mahatma Gandhi was one of the few men in history to fight simultaneously on moral, religious, political, social, economic, and cultural fronts. His life and thought had an enormous impact on the world, and he continued to be widely revered as one of the greatest moral, political, and peace leaders of the twentieth century.

On September eight last, during discussion with ninth graders in Wakefield High School in Arlington (Virginia, USA), when a student named Lilly asked President Obama that “if you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be”, his reply reportedly was: “I think that it might be Gandhi, who is a real hero of mine… he’s somebody who I find a lot of inspiration in… it would probably be a really small meal because he didn’t eat a lot.”

During his remarks at the acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize on December ten last, in his toast remarks at dinner with India’s Prime Minister on November 24 last, in the Presidential message on anniversary of India’s independence last year, and during interview by ITAR-TASS/Rossiya TV on July two last; President Obama again reportedly mentioned Mahatma Gandhi. First Lady Michelle Obama also reportedly mentioned Gandhi during her remarks at dinner with India’s Prime Minister.

Although peace icon Gandhi (1869-1948) never set foot on America, yet he was on Time magazine covers in 1930, 1931, and 1947; Time Person of the Year in 1930; and was runner-up for Time Person of the Century, Zed added. (ANI)