Google paid its respect to South African leader and anti-apartheid crusader Nelson Mandela on its trademark google doodle by playing some of his famous quotes.

To celebrate his birth anniversary, Google picked out some of his choice quotes and users could view it by merely clicking on the doodle.

"No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." This has perhaps been one of the most famous lines of the modern times symbolising the end of apartheid.

He is the "father of the nation" for South Africa; but history remembers his also as the anti-apartheid crusader and the face of compassion and wisdom.

Born on this day, 96 years ago, Nelson Mandela's birthday was today celebrated by Google with an interactive doodle.

The doodle begins with an image of Mandela and then goes on to have some of his famous quotes. along with illustrations depicting the various stages of his "Long Walk to Freedom".

Born in 1918, Mandela was an African nationalist and later went on to become the President of the political outfit ANC (African National Congress).

Mandela was the South African President from 1994 to 1999.

Arrested in 1962, Mandela served 27 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to oust the state and sabotage. He was released in 1990.

Since then he took active part in negotiations to end apartheid.

Mandela breathed his last in December 2013, after suffering from a pulmonary infection.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993; and his brithday has been declared as Mandela Day by the UN.

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