National Capital Celebrates Centenary Of Mahatma Gandhi’s First Visit To Delhi with Wife Kasturaba Gandhi

12 April, New Delhi

The National capital is celebrating a unique historical occasion today ,Sunday , the centenary of Father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi’s first visit to Delhi accompanied by wife Kasturba Gandhi.

To mark the occasion, a rare photograph of Gandhiji was presented to Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer by the National Gandhi museum.
According to Director of National Gandhi Museum A Annamalai said Gandhi first visited Delhi on April 12 and stayed at St Stephen’s College (Kashmere Gate Building) as guest of the then Principal S K Rudra.Mr C F Andrews, an English clergyman who became involved in the Indian freedom struggle also worked there as a staff.

Andrews, who later came to be known as Deshbandhu, had assisted Gandhi in arriving at a negotiated settlement with the South African government to repeal repressive measures against Indian settlers like the three pound sterling poll tax, invited him to Delhi.

Gandhiji, during his stay, also addressed the students of the college on April 13, 1915. “Gandhi spoke in Hindi having confirmed previously from the Principal that the people assembled there including European staff members of the college understood Hindi. Mainly he spoke about his faith on God, his association with Gokhale and Gokhales religious commitment, Annamalai said.