On his visit to the Sabarmati Ashram, the UK Prime Minister termed Mahatma Gandhi an “extraordinary man” who mobilized the principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better.

“It is an immense privilege to come to the ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilized such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better,” Johnson wrote in the visitors' book at the Gandhi ashram.

Johnson became the first prime minister of the UK to visit the Sabarmati Ashram here, the place from where Gandhi led India's struggle for freedom from the British colonial rule for more than a decade.In fact, he is also the first British prime minister to visit Gujarat post 1947.

The Mahatma's call to use the charkha (spinning wheel) and boycott foreign goods including cloth hit the textile industry in Manchester. Charkha became a very potent symbol of the anti-colonial struggle.

During his visit, prime minister Johnson tried his hand at the charkha at Hriday Kunj, the hut where Gandhi lived. A replica of charkha was also presented to him.

The Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust also gifted two books to him.One of the books was "Guide to London", an unpublished book which consists of Gandhi's suggestions on how to live in London while the other book was "The Spirit's Pilgrimage", autobiography of Mirabehn or Madeleine Slade, Gandhi's British-born follower.

On Day 1 of his visit to India, the UK Prime Minister also held?a meeting with industrialist Gautam Adani. The meeting took place at the Adani Group's global headquarters at Shantigram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city.

"Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support climate & sustainability agenda with focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies. #AtmanirbharBharat," Adani tweeted afterwards.

According to the sources, the two discussed key sectors such as energy transition, climate action, aerospace and defence collaboration?among other things.

Collaboration in the defence sector was one of the key focus areas of the meeting between Adani and Johnson as??India is all set to invest USD 300 billion by 2030 to modernize its armed forces.?Discussions also revolved around how Adani Group and British companies can collaborate to co-design and develop aerospace and defence technologies as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, sources said.

Gautam Adani also announced an academic facilitation program for young Indians through Chevening Scholarship, one of the most prestigious international scholarships offered by the UK government.?

He also invited the British Prime Minister to the India-UK Climate Science and Technology Summit, to be held in London on June 28.
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