Philanthropist to buy Gandhi's house in S Africa, gift to GOI

Mumbai, July 30 (PTI) A philanthropist plans to buy the
house in Johannesburg where Mahatma Gandhi had stayed for over
three years and give it to the Government of India for
preserving the same as a memorial.

City-based businessman Pradeep Bhavnani, in a letter to
Indian President Pratibha Patil, has requested her to give him
permission through the official channel for transferring money
to the owner of the house in order to finalise the deal.

Bhavnani said in the letter that he would donate the
house to the government so that it could be preserved as a
museum or a memorial as a tribute to the nation.

"The buyer has accepted my offer of Rs 2.5 crore for the
house. I now look upon the government to grant me official
permission so that I can dedicate this house to the nation",
Bhavnani told PTI.

The owner of the house, Nancy Ball, who lived in this
house for the last two decades, has decided to move out and
put it up for sale.

Known as "The Kraal", the house is located on a quiet
street in northern Johannesburg suburb of Orchids. Mahatma
Gandhi had stayed there for three years since 1907. PTI SVS
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