JOHANNESBURG, Aug 22: The leader of India’s Congress party, Sonia Ghandi, on Wednesday met former South African president Nelson Mandela, calling her visit to the country a pilgrimage.

Ms Gandhi presented a smiling Mandela with a book entitled Gandhi’s Way which celebrated a centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of peace and humanity.

She is in South Africa to launch a series of lectures on the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent Satyagraha movement, which he launched in South Africa before turning his efforts to the struggle for independence.

“It’s a privilege for me to be here. A visit to South Africa for me as an Indian is a pilgrimage. Coming here without calling on Mandela -- the visit would not be complete,” Ms Gandhi said.

She would be kicking off the series of lectures, which would take place around the country, at the University of Cape Town on Thursday.

Anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada, who spent 18 years on Robben Island where Mr Mandela was incarcerated, outlined the significance of Ms Gandhi’s visit and the long relationship between South Africa’s liberation movement and India.

“As early as 1946, India was the first country in the world to place sanctions on South Africa, it was the first country to recall its high commissioner and place the issue of racial discrimination on the agenda of the United Nations,” Mr Kathrada said.

Ms Gandhi said it was an honour and a moving moment to be in the presence of Mr Mandela and other leaders of the campaign against whites-only rule.—AFP