The grandson of Mahatma Gandhi will visit Bradford next week to speak to students during the district's peace festival.

Rajmohan Gandhi has chosen to come to the city as part of his peace tour of the United Kingdom.

And his visit will form part of the Bradford District Peace Festival which was due to be launched today with a ceremony in Centenary Square.

The renowned author and journalist will address pupils from secondary schools across the city at Bradford Grammar School on Friday, November 18, at 11am.

He will then go on to speak at the Khitmat Centre in Spencer Road, Great Horton, at 5.30pm in an event organised by Bradford University's Peace Studies department, Bradford's Interfaith Education Centre and the Council for Mosques.

His trip to Britain has been organised by the Initiatives for Change charity.

A spokesman said: "Bradford is a particularly poignant place for Rajmohan to visit.

"The unrest which happened in Bradford a few years ago is one of the main reasons for him to visit.

"He is coming to the UK to unite divided people."

The Peace Festival was being launched by Deputy Lord Mayor Robin Owens and award-winning former Telegraph & Argus journalist Anila Baig.

Children have been invited to decorate a peace tree for the event at 1pm.

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century and played a key role in India achieving independence peacefully in 1947.

Rajmahon Gandhi has found fame in his own right as a senator, editor of India's largest daily paper The Indian Express and author.

Bradford Grammar School's head teacher Stephen Davidson said: "It is an extraordinary privilege that Rajmohan Gandhi should honour us with a visit.

"Along with Imran Khan's appointment as Chancellor of Bradford University, it underlines the unique nature of the role our city can play in creating a successful, vibrant and tolerant Britain for the 21st century."