Mahatma Gandhi becomes the first Indian to receive US highest civilian award

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney from New York has reintroduced a legislation in the US House of Representatives to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to Mahatma Gandhi for his contributions made through his methods of non-violence.

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After this, Gandhi becomes the first Indian to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, which is the highest civilian award in the US and has been awarded to the 1980 US summer Olympics team, Robert F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela and George Washington among many others.

The History, Arts and Archives section of the US House of Representatives notes that since the American revolution, Congress has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.

The first recipients of the medal were participants of the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, Congress subsequently broadened the scope of the medal to include actors, authors, entertainers, musicians, explorers, athletes, humanitarians and foreign recipients among pioneers in some other fields.