dated June 17, 1950: Gandhiji's autobiography in French

The President of the French Republic, M. Vincent Auriol, received the Ambassador of India, Sardar H. S. Malik in Paris, on June 13, in Paris and presented him with five copies of beautifully bound Mahatma Gandhiji's autobiography which had been translated into French. The books were for the President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, Mr. Devadas Gandhi and the Ambassador himself.

Presenting the books, President Auriol said: ``We like your country and we saw with pleasure her entry into the rank of free nations. It is to her civilisation that we are paying homage today; by serving the principles of one of her dearest sons, one of the purest heroes of humanity, by considering for the first time the main work of Mahatma Gandhi as a world classic. Nobody could better than your Excellency, in whom we recognise a soldier who fought heroically on our soil, interpret to your great nation our sympathy towards the Indian Government and the whole of India.''

Replying, Sardar Malik said: ``It is a great honour and a great pleasure for me to receive this beautiful present from Your Excellency... In India, we love peace and I know that in France also you love the same ideal. We are both keen in maintaining peace in the world and thus we follow Mahatma Gandhi's principles. This the reason for which I believe that the keen interest taken by France in Mahatma Gandhi's main work is concrete proof of your will to collaborate with my country in order to promote better understanding and love among the countries of the world.''

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