This is a superb presentation on Mahatma Gandhiji. This presentation is brought to you by Sushil Handa.

1. Learnings from Gandhiji
Based on the Gandhi Katha series
by
Mr. Narayan Desai
( Son of Gandhiji’s PA - Mr Mahadevbhai Desai)

2. Gandhiji as a Leader

3. A Guide
On Narayanji’s Upnayas Sanskar, Gandhiji gifted him two
books
– Bhajanawali of Ashram
– Anashakti Yog (the book on Bhagwat Gita by Gandhiji)
Gandhiji wrote a note on books:
– Understand & memorise all the Bhajans
– Do what I expect from you.
These simple sentences became the BHRAHMA VAAKYA of
Narayanji’s life.

4. A Taskmaster
Narayanji’s mother - Durgabai was serving milk to Gandhiji
with a spoon, and a few drops spilled out to the ground.
Gandhiji questioned ‘WHY?’
She replied “Due to spoon, Bapu”.
Gandhji said “If Abha (a newcomer at the Ashram) had said
this, it will be accepted but I cannot expect this from you
Durga (who has been working since long)”.

5. A Neutral Person
To discourage racism in India, Gandhiji decided not to attend
any marriage of similar caste.
Narayanji’s father chose a same caste girl for him and pursued
Gandhiji to attend the ceremony.
He refused “Exceptions are not allowed for family members.”
and sent his blessings by a post-card.

6. A Demonstrative Leader
•
If Gandhiji want something that people should do, he
demonstrated it in his actions first.
• During the various Satyagraha, he never took support for
his personal work.
•
Other leaders saw this and started doing their personal
work by themselves.

7. Value Based Leader
When Dudabhai (a dalit) came to stay in the Ashram,
Kasturbabai and Maganbhai didn’t like and asked
Gandhiji for not allowing him to stay any further.
Gandhiji - “If someone does not like Ashram’s rules,
he/she must leave the Ashram”.
He visualized India with economical, social and
administrative equality, hence after independence he
said, ”My work is still not completed.”

8. Setting Examples
Gandhiji encouraged and ensured the presence of common
people in court room.
This act motivated people to sacrifice for the nation.
The trend is visible in common man's involvement in pre and
post - Gandhian movements.
Nurturing Talent
Created, Nurtured & Guided several Leaders, like Rajendra
Prasad, Rajgopalachari, Jayprakash Narayan, Vinoba Bhave,
Lalbahadur Shashtri and Sarojni Naidu Abbas Tayyab.

9. Negotiation Skills
Took a proactive approach to know and understand the other
person's views.
This gave him way to formulate “win-win” situation.
For Example:
In Vaykom Satyagrah (Kerala), he ensured to maintain
discipline by stayagrahi and demanded to remove the police
force.
People saw the disciplined satyagrahi and joined them to make
movement successful.

10. Credibility Consciousness
A true “Brand Ambassador” in himself
– Truth ambassador: Never took any case based on lie or
withdrew himself from any such cases. Judiciary also
believed that if it is Gandhiji, it must be true.
– The people’s man: A great follower of “Jaisa Desh, Vaisa
Bhesh” and used to dress as per the group.
– Walk the talk: He never spoke what he had not done or
was not going to do.
– Quality improvement: Gandhiji developed a tool for “Self
Inspection, Self Evaluation and Self Cleaning” for his own
assessment and improvement

11. Gandhiji as a Manager

12. System Developer
– Gandhiji initiated the working committee concept in
Congress.
– Checked the Cadre plan in movements
– Brought the regular meeting and review concept in national
movements.
System Protector
– Gandhiji always ensured that system should be followed in
all circumstances.
– Called off the Non Cooperative Movement because people
broke the system.

13. A Great Planner
– He ensured that people should not loose their energies
during the inter-movement period.
– Engaged people into “Rachnatmak Karya” (Creative Work)
– Before starting any movement he used to communicate
with people to guide his next line of action , hence his
arrest never became a hurdle in movement.

14. Innovative
– During the Swadeshi Andalon, Gandhiji used Babool’s
thorns as paper clips and Neem’s juice as a glue.
– Also, Satyagrah itself was a very innovative tool of all
times.
– Followed several management practices which were not
even known at that time.

15. Human Resources Orientation
Gandhiji knew that the success of any movement depended
solely on its people and their attitude.
Training & Development
An Ashramee would always have to go through a highly
disciplined schedule of training.
He trained people :
• At Ashram
• With trained leaders
• Individual assignments

16. Performance Evaluation:
– Gandhiji had organized a team of evaluators who used to
give their reports on behaviour of Satyagrahee’s, based
on which a ranking list was prepared by the working
committee.
– Based on that list, national and state level leaders were
announced.
Engagement & Involvement:
– He used to engage the members through some creative
work during the peace period to...
• Prepared for war
• Keep their mood high
• Build the feeling of togetherness

17. Great Executor
– Worked as an executor in many movements, as he
believed that for leading the movement one should
understand the execution well.
– He always made detailed plans with MIS format.
– He also had the ‘before and after’ review practice.
• For example, during the Vaykom Satyagraha at
Kerela he monitored all activities from his Ashram
only. He joined the Satyagrah at last when
negotiation was required.

18. Gandhiji as an Administrator

19. Practical Approach
•Gandhiji had a practical approach to take decisions
•He picked Ahmedabad as the location for setting up the
'Ashram' as he could get financial support from the local
businessmen.
MIS System
•He took decision on well defined MIS reports.
•In Independence Movements, he used to check the trends
of people’s involvement through reports like:
- How many came for prayer
- How many went for jail.
- Production through Charkha etc
•The format of MIS had both - quantitative as well as the
qualitative data.

20. Disciplined
If Gandhiji announced that ‘I will take a 29 minute nap.’ He
was sure to get up by the 30th minute.
In Peace March at Nokhali in East Bengal, he used to take
only 600 calories per day in spite of working for more than 16
hours a day.

21. Life of Gandhiji can be symbolized as a straight line
which represents the simplicity of his thoughts as
well as the depth of his vision.

22. Thank You
Presentation is brought to you by:
Mr. Sushil Handa
The Fifth Veda Entrepreneurs