Gandhinagar, Oct 2 : President Pratibha Patil Friday led a prayer meeting to mark the 140th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in his hometown Porbandar in Gujarat. A four-volume English translation of the Mahatma's biography was released at a function in the Sabarmati Ashram at Ahmedabad.

The president, who is on a five-day visit to Gujarat, arrived Friday morning by a special aircraft at Porbandar and led the prayer meeting at Kirti Mandir in the port town.

She was accompanied by Chief Minister Narendra Modi. She also visited the Arya Kanya Gurkul and Kasturbha Dham before leaving for Dwarka to perform puja at the revered Dwarkadheesh temple.

The four-volume biography of the Mahatma was originally penned by Narayan Desai, veteran Gandhian and son of the Mahatma's secretary Mahadev Desai, and chancellor of the Gujarat Vidyapith set up by the apostle of peace and non-violence.

"Maru jivan ej mari vani" (My life is my message), the four-volume text went into multiple reprints within months of its release. The English version, translated by Gandhi scholar and Ahmedabad-based academic Tridip Suhrid, was released by social scientist Ashish Nandy Friday in the presence of Narayan Desai.

The occasion also marked the launch of the third phase of the Science Express, a specially designed 16-coach AC train from state capital Gandhinagar. The train, essentially an audio-visual exhibition primarily targeted at high school and college students, will cover 56 locations and travel 18,000 km in the next seven months.

Carrying 300 large format visual images, 150 video clips and multi-media exhibits, it attempts to develop scientific temper and encourage students to pursue careers in science. It also strives to take modern research out of the lab and show how relevant science is to everyday life. (IANS)