india

Updated: Sep 25, 2019 21:00 IST

India is all set to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Mahathma Gandhi and year-long programmes around the event have been announced in various parts of the country. The Munnar block of the Congress party has, however, decided to celebrate it in a unique way.

The Munnar Congress Committee has called a meeting of those who bear the name Gandhi on October 2. The organisers of the event said at least 100 ‘Gandhis’ have responded to their invitation. On popular demand they later also included those named Nehru.

“Many patriots have named their offspring after our national leaders. It is time for us to honour those carrying their names. At least 100 Gandhis and 60 Nehrus are expected to attend our day-long gathering,” said PCC vice-president A K Mani, a former legislator. He said such a gathering will inspire younger generation and try to imbibe true spirit of nationalism. “We will also ask some of them to speak about how their names inspired their lives and others. There is no party barrier, all are welcome here,” said Mani.

He said many plantation workers still love to name their children after national heroes. “This has been happening for many years. You can meet many others bearing the names of national leaders. It is great some of them are still carrying such a legacy. It is time for us to salute them,” said Mani.

Not just Indian national heroes, people in Kerala are known for their love of Russian names as well. One can come across many a Brezhnev, Kruschev, Lenin, Olga and Pushkin in the country side. Every year the Russian Cultural Centre in Thiruvananthapuram organises a meeting of those with Russian names. “Once party sympathisers and supporters were crazy about Communist legends. As the ideology declined the world over this trend is also on the wane,” said V Lenin, a tea stall owner.