On Tuesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the statue of the Father of the Nation here in the US capital. A large number of Indian-Americans were present to welcome the Prime Minister who was accompanied by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj when he arrived at the Indian Embassy to pay tribute to the Gandhi statue in front of the mission. On the last day of his five-day visit to the US, the Prime Minister will meet US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel and separately the Governor of Maryland state. Tuesday is also being observed as US-India Partnership Day. Thereafter Modi will go to the White House for the official bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama. The two are expected to issue a joint statement at the end of the meeting. Modi is also scheduled to address a reception hosted by the US India Business Council (USIBC). The prime minister is also likely to visit the Martin Luther King Memorial here. Martin Luther King, was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. King is an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the US and around the world, using non-violent resistance inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.
