Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim invited Rajmohan Gandhi, the 91-year-old Indian historian and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, to visit Malaysia in the first quarter of 2027. The invitation was extended during a telephone conversation between the two leaders, with Anwar inviting Rajmohan to deliver a lecture on democracy, peace, harmony, and values-based leadership to academics, university students, and community leaders in Malaysia [1, 2, 3].
Anwar recalled their first meeting at a 2012 conference on democracy in Asia held in Mumbai, which Rajmohan organised. "May this long-standing friendship continue to grow stronger," Anwar said, reflecting on their ongoing ties [1, 2, 3].
Rajmohan Gandhi is a former Rajya Sabha member and a widely recognised public intellectual. He has written extensively about South Asian history, democracy, conflict resolution, and the legacy of his grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi [1, 3].
During their call, Anwar and Rajmohan also discussed deepening Malaysia-India historical and civilisational ties through enhanced academic, intellectual, and inter-civilisational cooperation [1, 2, 3].
Anwar stated, "I also invited him to visit Malaysia in the first quarter of next year to deliver a lecture and share his views on democracy, peace, harmony and values-based leadership with scholars, university students and community leaders" [2].
The invitation was formally made on August 1, 2026, and news reports about the planned visit appeared today. The scheduled lecture will provide an opportunity for Malaysian stakeholders to benefit from Rajmohan Gandhi's perspectives on governance and social values [1, 2, 3].
