Washington: A resolution to posthumously award Mahatma Gandhi with the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal, in recognition of his promotion of peace and nonviolence, was reintroduced in the US House of Representatives, reports PTI. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award in the United States.
The influential Congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney, who introduced the resolution, said that Mahathma Gandhi's historic Satyagraha movement of nonviolent resistance inspired a nation and the world, and his example energises people to devote themselves to the service of others.
Carolyn went on to say that Mahatma Gandhi's legacy inspired civil rights movements around the globe, including Martin Luther King Jr's movement for equality and Nelson Mandela's fight against apartheid. Gandhi's courage and example inspired her as a public servant, she added.
Mahatma Gandhi would be the first recipient of the medal from India, which has honoured great personalities like George Washington, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Teresa and Rosa Parks.