President on 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

New Delhi, May 2: President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday said the commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi should become a moment of making a fresh commitment to his goals of a just, honest and fair society at home and abroad.

Kovind said the focus of the commemoration -- which will run for two years from October 2, 2018 to October 2, 2020 -- should not just be on events, but on tangible, actionable legacies that will make a difference to the lives of ordinary people.

"The Mahatma is our past, our present and also our future... So many of the themes and ideas he spoke and wrote of - some of them far ahead of their time - are even more relevant today," the President said after he chaired the first meeting of the national committee for the commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

During the meeting, it was decided to set up a smaller executive committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to take forward the commemoration, since it would not be feasible for the entire national committee to be convened frequently, an official statement said.