New Delhi, October 2
A visit to the Google search engine site on the Internet is sure to bring a smile on the face of every Indian today.

In a significant gesture, Google has featured Mahatma Gandhi on its logo to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the Father of Nation. The face of the apostle of peace and non-violence has replaced letter “G” on Google’s home page. He joined an elite band, including Michael Jackson, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci and Confucius by appearing on “Google Doodle”.

Google is the most visited website on the Internet and one of the most powerful brands in the world.

Although he never set foot on American soil, the Mahatma was on Time magazine’s cover pages in 1930, 1931, and 1947; Time Person of the Year in 1930; and was runner-up for Time Person of the Century.

Just a few days ago, Mont Blanc, a leading luxury brand, launched “Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition Writing Instruments” worldwide. The two Mont Blanc pens, the “Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition 241” fountain pen and the “Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Edition 3000”, have been created to pay tributes to the wisdom, vision and boundless energy the indomitable Mahatma displayed as he bravely struggled to free India through non-violent means.

As the world celebrated International Day of Non-Violence, US President Barack Obama, who has already gone on record to say that he considered the Mahatma his real hero, said America had its “roots in the India of Mahatma Gandhi”. “His teachings and ideals, shared with Martin Luther King Jr. on his 1959 pilgrimage to India, transformed American society through our civil rights movement,” Obama said on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Americans owed enormous gratitude to Gandhi, he said. “The America of today has its roots in the India of Mahatma Gandhi and the non-violent social action movement for Indian Independence that he led,” the American leader said. Just last month, Obama had said at a school function that if given a chance, he would love to have dinner with Mahatma Gandhi.

US Ambassador Timothy Roemer commemorated the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi by joining the interfaith prayer meeting and memorial ceremony at the Raj Ghat. Indo-Americans have, meanwhile, applauded President Obama for his rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.

Prominent Indo-American leader Rajan Zed commended Obama for expressing “appreciation for the life and lessons of Mahatma Gandhi on the anniversary of his birth”, and said the world should look deeper into Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence, his commitment to world peace and his work for the uplift of the downtrodden.