The Father of the Nation and his memories came alive amid soothing Sufi music as tributes were paid to Mahatma Gandhi at an event observing the Martyrs' Day here.

The event with the theme 'Bapu: The Undying Flame' was held at the India International Centre on Saturday. Strains of Sarangi enlightened the evening and magical vocals of folk singer cum songwriter Sonam Kalra joined in to take the audience to a different space of serenity.

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Kalra started Sufi Gospel project to blend the different voices of faith together in a single song, music composition and vocals. She, along with her troupe, comprising renowned instrumentalists Ahsan Ali, Amaan Ali Khan and Rajesh Prasana, presented soul stirring versions of ‘Abide with me’ and ‘Hallelujah’. Both the songs were beautifully melted with Kabir's dohas and classical instrumentals to make it a perfect fusion, matching the persona of Gandhi, reflecting peace, passion, compassion harmony and tolerance.

Salma Ansari, wife of Hamid Ansari, Vice-President of India, was the chief guest of the event organised by the New Delhi Chapter of the Sarvodaya International Trust.

Jyoti Bose, Managing Trustee, Sarvodaya International Trust and Director, Springdales Schools, welcomed Ansari on stage, saying: “She has not only devoted her life to the cause of under-privileged children and for the rights of women but has also followed the Gandhian path of truth and righteousness, a lady of great humaneness.”

Ansari recalled Gandhi as a soul, who took humanity one notch higher with his philosophy of non violence. However, we couldn’t understand him to the core, she asserted further.

“The power of Gandhi was the truth in his heart and his message of universal love and brotherhood,” Ansari said, after giving references to a few of poems by Muhammad Iqbal.

Following the thread, Apoorvanand, a literary and cultural critic and Hindi professor at the University of Delhi, spoke on the final days of Gandhi. He said Father of the Nation fought for the Hindu-Muslim unity throughout his life.

“Gandhi's greatest achievement lay in the example he provided in living out his ideals, which inspires people of all nations to take up the peaceful struggle for freedom from oppression even today. Gandhi was gone, a martyr, as he would have wished, to the cause of peace,” he added.

Other prominent personalities from the fields of education, science, arts and Gandhian philosophy present on the occasion were – Indira Verma, Chairperson, Sarvodaya International Trust and Trustees AK Merchant, Keki Daruwala, Meenakshi Gopinath, Rakhshanda Jalil, Radhika Chopra, Sukanya Bharatram and Commodore T Chand.