UK to issue coin to mark 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

British Finance Minister Sajid Javid announced the plan on Thursday

The UK government will issue a commemorative coin to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, British Finance Minister Sajid Javid said.

The Pakistani-origin minister said he had asked the UK's Royal Mint to work on the coin. Javid announced the plan on Thursday at the annual GG2 Leadership Awards event held here to celebrate the most influential members of UK’s South Asian community.

"Tonight's awards celebrate the 150th birthday of Gandhi — a fitting time to announce that I've asked the Royal Mint of the UK to propose a new commemorative coin in his honour. We should never forget what Gandhi taught the world," said the British Chancellor of the Exchequer.

In 1888, Gandhi left for London to attend law school. He attended the University College of London law school and was called to the English bar in 1891. Right after, he promptly left for India. However, he kept on coming back to the city. His last visit to London was in 1931 when he came for a roundtable conference on India's future.