President William Ruto Goes Barefoot at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial

President William Ruto paid tribute at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, known as Raj Ghat, during his inaugural state visit to the Asian country.

Abiding by the rules of the location, Ruto took off his shoes and proceeded towards the tribute site in his socks to exhibit his respect. Accompanied by a group of representatives, he made his way towards the destination, laid a wreath, and joined in a short prayer that was being conducted by the officials present. The memorial ground where Gandhi's remains were cremated is a manifestation of his simplicity as portrayed by the grass lawns and trees.

"The memorial was designed by Vanu G Bhuta, and this national shrine was bestowed with several awards for its architectural design. The memorials of various other leaders such as Lal Bahadur Shashtri, Indira Gandhi, Jawaharalal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi are also located inside Raj Ghat," India's Ministry of Tourism explains on its website.

One of the remarkable aspects of this location is the inclusion of trees planted by notable figures like Queen Elizabeth II. Situated near the Gandhi memorial is a permanent flame that represents his lasting influence. The removal of shoes is not unfamiliar to Ruto as this was also observed when India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the G20 meeting attended by prominent individuals such as US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. At this September gathering, leaders either walked with socks or barefoot. Some chose to don felt slippers as the area had experienced rainfall.