India Receives Mahatma Gandhi Artefacts from South Africa’s Phoenix Settlement Trust

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar welcomes historic documents and personal items of Mahatma Gandhi, tracing back to his transformative years in South Africa.

New Delhi, March 23: In a significant cultural moment, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday received rare artefacts and historical documents related to Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa’s Phoenix Settlement Trust-Gandhi Development Trust (PST-GDT). These valuable items were handed over to the National Gandhi Museum in New Delhi.

The Phoenix Settlement, founded by Gandhi in 1904 near Durban, was his first ashram-like community and played a pivotal role in shaping his ideology of non-violent resistance—Satyagraha. His time in South Africa, from 1893 to 1914, deeply influenced his political awakening as he witnessed and confronted racial discrimination firsthand.

Taking to social media, Jaishankar wrote on X, “Privileged to witness the handing over of artefacts and documents related to Mahatma Gandhi by @PST_GDT (Phoenix Settlement Trust-Gandhi Development Trust), South Africa to National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi. Bapu’s life and message continue to inspire generations to come.”

Mahatma Gandhi, born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India, became a global icon of peace and non-violence. His leadership in the Indian independence movement, particularly through campaigns like the Salt March and the Quit India Movement, reshaped the course of history. He urged Indians to boycott British institutions and goods, promoting civil disobedience as a powerful weapon against colonial rule.

Gandhi’s life, marked by simplicity, truth, and sacrifice, ended tragically on January 30, 1948, when he was assassinated at Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi. Every year, India observes Martyrs’ Day on this date to honour his extraordinary contributions to the nation’s freedom struggle.

The return of these artefacts not only strengthens the cultural ties between India and South Africa but also serves as a poignant reminder of Gandhi’s enduring global legacy.