Mahatma Gandhi followed the path of non-violence and earned India its freedom from the British.
On Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary today, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes at Rajghat in Delhi. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, BJP veteran LK Advani, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri, and BJP working president JP Nadda also paid floral tributes to the father of the nation.
On Twitter, leaders urged people to implement Gandhian principles, realise Bapu's dreams and follow the path of non-violence.
"As we pay reverential homage to the Mahatma on his 150th Birth Anniversary, let us strive to transform our lives by internalising and implementing the Gandhian principles in our daily life," Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said in his tweet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed gratitude to Mahatma Gandhi for his ever-lasting contribution towards humanity.
"We pledge to continue working hard to realise his dreams and create a better planet," PM Modi wrote on Twitter.
In a short video on Mahatma Gandhi, PM Modi said his message of peace is still relevant to the world community.
The prime minister also referred to the seven perversions Mahatma Gandhi had cautioned people about. These are: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, visit without ethics, science without humanity, religion without sacrifice and politics without principles.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said, "On his 150th Jayanti, my tributes to Mahatma Gandhi Ji, the "Father of the Nation", who through his words and deeds, showed us that love for all living beings and non-violence is the only way to defeat oppression, bigotry and hatred."
Congress general secretary organisation KC Venugopal said, "In a strife-torn world, as indeed India, Gandhiji and his philosophy is more relevant than ever today."
"We bow to him (Gandhi) for his tremendous contribution in shaping the destiny of this country. My heartfelt tributes to Bapu on his jayanti," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted.
Mahatma Gandhi's legacy of non-violence, co-existence, compassion, truth and economic self-reliance has not only shaped nationhood, but those of many across the world, Mr Venugopal said.
Born on October 2, 1869, in Gujarat's Porbandar, Mahatma Gandhi or Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi adopted the path of non-violence and was the forefront of the freedom struggle against the colonial British rule with utmost patience. His leadership led to India to its independence in 1947. Fondly known as Bapu, his unwavering belief in "swaraj" (self-governance) and "ahimsa" (non-violence) won him accolades across the world.
Globally, Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary is celebrated as the ''International Day of Non-Violence''.
A number of cleanliness drives have been launched by the government to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.