The US today paid rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi saying Americans owe an "unfathomable debt" of gratitude to him for "being the change he wanted to see in the world".
On the eve of the birth anniversary of Gandhiji, US ambassador Timothy J Roemer said the shining beacon of Gandhiji's example has never been more relevant.
"The light it offers the world has never been more essential," he said in a statement.
"As Americans, we owe an unfathomable debt of gratitude to Gandhiji for being the change he wanted to see in the world," Roemer said.
He said Gandhiji was one of the greatest visionaries the world has ever known.
The leaders of the US civil rights movement travelled India more than 50 years ago on a pilgrimage to discover the roots of the non-violent social movement conceived by Mahatma Gandhi, he said.
"Upon their return to the United States, these American civil rights leaders drew on Gandhiji's ideas to transform American society," Roemer said.
