Why India observes Martyr’s Day on January 30 - Know here

Martyrs’ Day, also known as ‘Shaheed Divas’, is celebrated every year on January 30 to mark the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

India celebrates ‘Shaheed Divas’ on January 30 and March 23 to pay homage to the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the sake of their Motherland.

On January 30, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated at Gandhi Smriti in Birla house. On the occasion of the Martyr’s Day, the President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, the CDS of India and the three Service Chiefs gather at the Samadhi at Raj Ghat memorial.

On March 23, people pay homage to freedom fighters who were hanged to death by the Britishers. These include Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar.

Mahatma Gandhi, also known as the Father of the Nation, was the anti-colonial nationalist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead a successful campaign for India's independence from British rule. He inspired various movements for civil rights and freedom across the world and built the unity of the nation.

He was assassinated by Nathuram Godse on January 30, 1948.  India celebrates January 30 to mark his contribution towards the freedom of the country. According to the directions of the central government, two minutes of silence is observed in all states and UTs on January 30.

The Martyr’s Day is celebrated across the nation on seven different days. These are – January 30, March 23, May 19, October 21, November 17, November 19 and November 24.