The nation is marking a solemn day today, January 30. India is paying homage to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, on his death anniversary, which is also observed as Martyrs’ Day. At Rajghat in New Delhi, a Sarva-Dharma Prarthana was organised, setting the tone for a day of remembrance and reflection.
President Droupadi Murmu visited Rajghat and offered floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid their respects at Gandhi’s memorial. Union Home Minister Amit Shah marked the occasion as well, remembering Gandhi’s role in uniting the country and shaping the freedom movement through his ideals.
Mahatma Gandhi death anniversary 2026: Why January 30 is observed
January 30 is remembered as the day Mahatma Gandhi was killed in 1948, while attending a prayer meeting in New Delhi. The assassination came at a time when the country was still finding its footing after independence. The shock was immediate and widespread, felt deeply within India and far beyond its borders. By then, Gandhi’s ideas of truth, non-violence, and moral strength had already influenced movements across the world.
Each year, the date is observed quietly. Not with celebration, but with pause. It is meant to bring focus back to the values that shaped the nation’s journey.
January 30 as Martyrs’ Day and Shaheed Diwas
With time, January 30 also came to be recognised as Martyrs’ Day, or Shaheed Diwas. The remembrance extends beyond Gandhi himself. The day honours all those who laid down their lives for India’s freedom and unity. Some are remembered in history books. Many others are not. Yet their sacrifices remain equally significant.
Across the country, a two-minute silence is observed at 11 am, creating a shared moment of respect and reflection.
Why Mahatma Gandhi is remembered on Martyrs’ Day
Mahatma Gandhi is remembered on Martyrs’ Day because his life stood for the ethical core of India’s freedom struggle. He believed that violence weakens a cause, and that change rooted in truth and non-violence lasts longer. His assassination became a stark reminder of how difficult it can be to hold on to such principles during turbulent times.
Inspiring quotes by Mahatma Gandhi
- “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
- “When I despair, I remember that all through history, truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall.”
- “Where there is love, there is life.”
- “Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”
- “God has no religion.”
- “Hate the sin, love the sinner.”
- “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
- “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”
January 30 is more than a date on the calendar. It is a reminder of the values that shaped the nation, and the responsibility to carry them forward.
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