Russian President Vladimir Putin paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi during his India visit, stopping at Raj Ghat to honour the ‘Father of India’. Putin laid a wreath at Gandhi’s memorial and observed a moment of silence before writing a special message in the visitors’ diary, calling Gandhi a global symbol of peace, moral strength and non-violence. The solemn ceremony came after his ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan earlier in the day.