President pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi in Geneva

Geneva, Oct 2: President Pratibha Patil today (Oct 2) paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi in the picturesque Swiss city of Geneva on the occasion of his 142nd birth anniversary.

Patil, drove to the statue of Gandhi here in the tranquil Ariana Park located on ''Avenue of Peace''.

She offered flowers at the statute, where a group of Indian children sang ''Ram dhun''. She later undertook a ''parikarma (round of the statute) in the misty morning.

Incidentally, the statute was unveiled in 1997 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship and Establishment between Indian and Switzerland in August 1948, the first such treaty signed by Independent India.

President is here on a eight-day State Visit to Switzerland and Austria.

She will leave for Swiss capital Bern later in the day after attending an Indian community reception being hosted by Indian Ambassador to Switzerland Chitra Narayanan, daughter of former President K R Narayanan.

PTI