Bill to promote legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin luther King Jr. introduced in US House

Welcoming the introduction of the bill, India’s Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla said it “reinforces the close cultural and ideological bonds” between India and the US. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has supported the bill.

The Bill also proposes establishing a Gandhi-King Development Foundation, which will be created by the USAID under the Indian laws. It is being co-sponsored by six other Democratic lawmakers, three of whom are Indian Americans — Dr Ami Bera, Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal. Three other Congressmen are Brenda Lawrence, Brad Sherman and James McGovern.

According to the bill, a governing council convened by governments of the United States and India would oversee grants to NGOs in the areas of health, pollution and climate change, education and women empowerment.

Proposing the establishment of a Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative with an allocation of $2 million for the next five years till 2025, the bill will comprise an annual educational forum for scholars from India and the US held alternately in the two countries. The focus will also be on the study of the works and philosophies of Gandhi and King and visits to historical sites.