Amaravati/Hyderabad, Jan 30 : The governors and chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana respectively, paid rich tributes to Mahatama Gandhi on his 73rd death anniversary on Saturday. "Mahatama Gandhi, the father of the nation, showed a new way of campaigning with his weapons of prayer, request and protest to the world and emerged as an exemplary person," said Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. He said Gandhiji's nonviolence and satyagraha rejuvenated India's freedom movement and even sacrificed his life for the country. Rao said Gandhiji's life proclaims that truth is the ultimate winner. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Municipal Administration Minister K. Taraka Rama Rao, Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and others paid floral to Gandhiji at Bapu Ghat in the city. Commemorating Gandhiji's 73rd death anniversary, AP Governor Biswa Bhushan Harichandan said India is now a free country and has become a big power both militarily and economically because of the sacrifices made by great freedom fighters. Harichandan reminded that people across the country fought the British rule on the call given by Gandhiji and when he asked the British to quit India. "They could not believe that such a mighty British power could be driven out of the country by the peaceful and non-violent movement led by Mahatma Gandhi," observed the Governor. According to Harichandan, Gandhiji had the confidence that a day will come when the British will leave India, making the country a free nation. He said leaders from many countries emulated Gandhi and followed his principles of ahimsa (non-violence) and satyagraha in their freedom movements. Harichandan offered floral tributes to Gandhiji's potrait at a programme organised at the Raj Bhavan's Durbar Hall. He and his office staff observed two minutes silence as a mark of respect to Gandhiji. Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy offered floral tributes to Gandhiji at his residence, accompanied by Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas, adviser Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and others. /IANS