Gandhi : History Project
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A take on the life of Gandhi through a various lenses like politics and religion. Criticisms & relevance also discussed towards the end. Made in collaboration with Shikhar Yadav.
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Gandhi : History Project
- 1. Gandhi گاندھیग ांधी Politician, philosopher, social reformer, writer
- 2. About Gandhi - Born to Hindu family on 2 October, 1869 - Married at an early age of 13, with Kasturba Kapadia, 14 - Lawyer, barrister by profession, completed his scholarly education in London in 1891 - Practised his profession, for most part, in South Africa. Later, turned into a civil rights activist - Returned to India in 1915; took leadership of INC in 1920 and engaged himself in the struggle for independence
- 4. Childhood ● The Indian classics, especially the stories of Shravan Kumar and king Harishchandra, had a great impact on Gandhi.
- 5. Gandhi (left) and his friend, Sheikh Mehtab.
- 6. Late Teens ● In late 1885, Gandhi's father Karamchand died. Gandhi, then 16 years old, and his wife of age 17 had their first baby, who survived only a few days. The two deaths anguished him deeply. ● He graduated school in 1887, and in the following year enrolled at the Samaldas College in princely state of Bhavnagar but soon dropped out to pursue law studies in England.
- 7. Gandhi (right) with his eldest brother Laxmidas in 1886.
- 8. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi “Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err or even to sin” (1888 - 1915)
- 9. Life in College In London, Gandhi studied law and jurisprudence and enrolled at the Inner Temple with the intention of becoming a barrister in 1888.
- 10. Gandhi with his friends in the London Vegetarian Society
- 11. Coming home
- 13. In South Africa ● Forms his identity as a political activist ● Developed the strategy of satyagraha ● First experience in mobilising communities and Hindu-Muslim unity ● Development of Ashram living (Community Living) ● Experience of being imprisoned
- 14. The turning point In May 1893, while Gandhi was on his way to Pretoria, a white man objected to Gandhi's presence in a first-class carriage, and he was thrown off the train at Pietermaritzburg. Statue at Pietermaritzburg
- 15. Natal Indian Congress A live body functioning throughout the year and dedicated not only to politics but to the moral and social uplift of its members.
- 16. Experience with Violence Gandhi returned briefly to India in 1896 to bring his wife and children to live with him in South Africa. When he returned in January 1897, a white mob attacked and tried to lynch him.
- 17. Gandhi in Army Organised a volunteer ambulance corps Indians called the Indian Ambulance Corps, one of the few medical units to serve wounded black South Africans.
- 18. Gandhi’s God ● Interacted with people of different faiths in England and South Africa, including the clergy. ● Read widely (the sayings of Zarathustra, the life of Muhammad, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible).
- 19. Gandhi “In a gentle way, you can shake the world” (1915 - 1920)
- 20. Mahatma Gandhi in Karachi, March 1916
- 21. Finding India ● Gandhi travelled across India on the advice of Gokhale ● First appearance at BHU ● Motive to make nationalism a mass movement
- 22. Champaran Agitations In Bihar, the peasantry was forced to grow Indigo, a cash crop whose demand had been declining over two decades, and were forced to sell their crops to the planters at a fixed price.
- 23. Gandhi, in 1918, at the time of Champaran and Kheda agitations.
- 24. Ahmedabad & Kheda Agitations In Gujarat, at Ahmedabad and later at Kheda, Gandhi ji rallied to the cause of the the mill workers, and peasants respectively.
- 25. Gandhi donned loincloth for the first time at Madura to identify himself with India’s poor. September 21, 1921
- 26. Rowlatt satyagraha Gandhi called for a nationwide bandh in a protest against the Rowlatt Act. Indians would be encouraged to withdraw from Raj-sponsored schools, police services, the military, and the civil service, and courts. Public transportation and foreign goods, especially clothing, was boycotted.
- 27. The Mahatma “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” (1920 - 1948)
- 28. Non-Cooperation ● To end all voluntary cooperation with the british ● First mass movement ● Joined hands with the Khilafat movement ● Ended, after a few satyagrahis attacked a police station in Chauri Chaura (February 1922)
- 29. A poster beckoning people to participate in the movement
- 30. Foreign cloth being collected to be burnt in bonfires. (Non-Cooperation Movement, 1922)
- 31. Social Work ● Women empowerment ● Making nationalism a mass movement ● Religious harmony ● Upliftment of the poor and deprived ● Eradication of untouchability ● Promotion of self reliance and swadeshi items ● Using charkha to break down boundaries between mental and physical labour.
- 32. Abha Gandhi Interview (Video) Abha Gandhi (right) with Gandhiji and Manu Gandhi
- 33. “It cost the nation a fortune to keep Gandhi living in poverty” Sarojini Naidu
- 34. Salt of the earth-Civil disobedience ● Tactical use of salt to mobilise the masses ● British failed to grasp the significance of the Dandi march ● Popularised Gandhi all over the world. ● People violated unjust laws.
- 35. "It is difficult not to laugh, and we imagine that will be the mood of most thinking Indians" - The Statesman, on Gandhiji’s declaration of the Salt march
- 36. Round Table Conferences First Round Table Conference - Gandhi expected to discuss India's independence, while the British side focused on the Indian princes and Indian minorities rather than on a transfer of power. - Turned out to be a disappointment.
- 37. Round Table Conferences Second Round Table Conference - Gandhiji represented Congress, which he claimed that represented all of India. - He vehemently opposed a constitution that enshrined rights or representations based on communal divisions.
- 38. Gandhiji at the Second Round Table Conference, September 1931
- 39. Quit India ● Failure of the round table conference and the Cripps Mission ● Independent governments were proclaimed in many parts of the country ● Opposed by both the Hindu Mahasabha and RSS and also the Muslim League.
- 40. The Partition Years ● Opposed the partition of the country ● Did not participate in any independence day celebration ● Hoped that India-Pakistan will exist in peace as neighbours
- 41. Prayer Meeting May 31, 1947 (Audio)
- 42. The final sacrifice ● Murdered by a Hindu Extremist ● Had a magical effect in calming the riots ● People started to collect the sand wherever his blood dropped
- 43. “The light has gone out of the body..” (Audio)
- 44. “Friends and Comrades, The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere. I do not know what to tell you and how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the Father of the Nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that. Nevertheless, we will never see him again as we have seen him for these many years. We will not run to him for advice and seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not to me only, but to millions and millions in this country…” - Jawaharlal Nehru
- 45. Criticisms “Let us not reduce the standard of Truth even by a hair’s breadth for judging mortals like myself”
- 46. Ambedkar’s Criticisms ● Differences on how to best eradicate caste inequalities ● Ambedkar disliked Gandhi’s focus on tradition and use of religion in politics ● Poona pact-separate electorates
- 47. Right Wing Criticisms ● Believed Gandhi was appeasing Muslims and other minorities. ● Against Gandhi’s ideas to reform hindu society. ● Against Gandhi’s secular ideology, wished for Hindu supremacy.
- 49. On Violence and Protest
- 50. ➔New forms of political violence in the world ➔New challenges for protests and movements ➔Satyagraha provides a possible alternative
- 51. On Inequality
- 52. ➔Growing divide between urban and rural ➔Emancipation of peasants ➔Caste discrimination ➔Suppression of women
- 53. Gandhian Innovation Producing more with less, for most
- 55. Be the change that you wish to see in the world.
Editor's Notes
- Gandhi, in his global perception, is perceived as a monolith of idealism, as a guardian angel of peace, justice and righteousness. But is this perception a correct one, more importantly, a just one? We shall try to understand the life of gandhi in a multi faceted approach & through various lenses such as religion, politics, and national history. We shall also attempt to understand the various influences on gandhi’s life since his childhood and then how they shaped his politics and decision and ultimately our country. Towards the end we shall also discuss how gandhi is portrayed today in public discourse and discuss the major criticisms against him.
- Take the listener to the stages of how transformation of thought took place through varying experiences in his life stages.
- https://books.google.co.in/books?id=JsPYNLAU9KYC&pg=PA48&redir_esc=y&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false
- Gandhi ji joined school, at age 9, in Rajkot where he learned arithmetic, history, geography & Gujarati. Fairly average in his scholastic performance. Restless, active & adventurous as a child. The Indian classics, especially the stories of Shravana and king Harishchandra, had a great impact on Gandhi in his childhood. Shravana's parents were old and blind, and he always carried them with him in two baskets slung on a yoke. Gandhi was deeply touched by Shravana's devotion to his old parents. 'I must be like Shravana,' he resolved. In his autobiography, he admits that they left an indelible impression on his mind as he wrote that he must have acted Harishchandra to himself times without number. Gandhi's early self-identification with truth and love as supreme values is traceable to these epic characters. He was also deeply influenced by his mother who was an extremely pious woman. His mother, would not think of taking her meals without her daily prayers, she would take the hardest vows and keep them without flinching. To keep two or three consecutive fasts was nothing to her.” He hoped to emulate the kind of self-suffering and self-control, displayed by his mother, especially the latter. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=JsPYNLAU9KYC&pg=PA48&redir_esc=y&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false
- While Gandhi was also dutiful and devoted son, he occasionally displayed rebellious behaviour engaging in forbidden activities like meat- eating and smoking and petty pilfering, which were not uncommon among boys of his age. Gandhi’s friendship with his elder classmate, Sheikh Mehtab left a deep impact on him and often led him to ruinous directions as he engaged in forbidden activities like meat-eating, smoking and in one instance - visiting a brothel. He once stole a little gold from his brother's armlet to clear a debt, but felt ashamed. He confessed of his deed to his father who eventually pardoned him for his mistake. What was extraordinary was the way his adventures ended. In every case when he had gone astray, ‘Never again’ was his promise to himself after each escapade. And he kept the promise. Gradually truth-telling became a passion with him. https://gandhifoundation.org/2009/10/02/misunderstanding-gandhi-by-antony-copley/ https://worldhistoryproject.org/1884/mohandes-gandhi-enters-rebellious-adolescent-phase-engaging-in-activities-he-will-soon-reject
- One the advice of a family friend, Gandhi ji considered pursuing his studies in London. He received mixed reactions from his peers. While his brother, a lawyer by profession supported him, he faced stiff resistance from his caste elders who warned him against the western ways and going overseas. His mother also, was not comfortable about Gandhi leaving his wife and family, and going so far from home but consented, after he took an oath to abstain from wine, women and meat.
- Teen life, life as a law student in London, experiences & thoughts. Gandhi’s making in south africa http://gandhi.southafrica.net/?section=introduction-gandhi-in-south-africa
- This marked the beginning of his journey of his education in England as he tried to adopt English ways and customs. His time in London was influenced by the vow of abstinence from meat, alcohol, and promiscuity he had made to his mother as he tried to learn English etiquette and mannerisms.
- The vegetarian vow became a continual source of embarrassment to him. His friends feared that his food fads would ruin his health, and make of him, socially, a square peg. To disprove that he was not impervious to the new environment, he decided to put on a thick veneer of ‘English culture’. He did so by taking dancing and elocution lessons. This attempt to be an Englishman lasted for a brief time after which he gave up the idea and directed his dedication towards the cause of studies, hence becoming a serious student. Shortly after which he joined the London Vegetarian Society was elected to its executive committee where he wrote articles about Hindu customs and diet for the magazine.
- After a brief stint as a lawyer in Bombay, Gandhi had struggled to established himself as a lawyer. He received an offer on a temporary assignment to act on behalf of a local indian trader in a commercial dispute. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi arrived in South Africa in 1893, as a newly qualified lawyer.
- Take the listener to the stages of how transformation of thought took place through varying experiences in his life stages.
- SA was meant to be a short stopgap for the struggling young lawyer turned into a 21-year stay, with spells in India and England. It was in SA that he first became a vocal leader for the rights of the indian community and established himself as a prominent political activist, by taking part in various legislative and political issues concerning the Indian diaspora. The iconic practice of satyagraha was also first developed in SA, where Gandhi took out peaceful marches and staged mass arrests to stage their protest against discriminatory practices. SA was also a practice in religious harmony, as the Indians were divided on the basis of religion, caste, class and gender. It was in SA that Gandhiji first began to speak for unity amongst these groups and built a sense of collective identity of “Indians” Gandhiji’s obsession with simplicity was also founded here, where he chose to live in an “ashram” away from the urban centers. All the manual work, like cleaning of toilets or tilling the soil was done by the members, there were no servants and work was equally divided. This proved as an early lesson in Equality which aided in the Indian nationalism later.
- Initially, Gandhiji was not involved too much in the concerns of the Indians he had been concerned with his day to day struggles as a young lawyer trying to establish a career, but it was only after this instance, in the waiting room of the station in that winter night that he made the momentous decision stay in SA and fight the racial discrimination. https://worldhistoryproject.org/1893/5/mahatma-gandhi-is-ejected-from-a-south-african-train-motivating-him-to-fight-for-indian-rights-in-the-british-colony
- Gandhi realized that what the India urgently needed was a permanent organization to look after their interests. -NIC focused not only on politics but on social development of Indians too. He urged upper caste hindus to abandon untouchability and insisted that women must participate in public life along with men. -Molded the minority Indian community into a well organised political force. Brought together both indentured labourers and wealthy traders. -Published grievances of Indians, gave the Indian community a voice. -Unity amongst diverse religions https://worldhistoryproject.org/1894/8/22/mohandes-gandhi-founds-the-natal-indian-congress
- In an early indication of the personal values that would shape his later campaigns, he refused to press charges against any member of the mob.
- During his time in south africa, the boer war broke out between the dutch and the british and again in the zulu uprising, gandhi believed that indians must support the war effort to legitimize their claims to full citizenship and be equal members of the empire. It also shows that gandhi did not wish to secede from the empire but wanted to remain a part of it as an equal citizen. Received the war medal, but the condition of indians continued to deteriorate.
- Gandhi’s was first to exposed to religious life by his mother who was a deeply pious person. She had made gandhi vow to not indulge in meat, wine and women during his study in England. His mother was deeply pious and made him vow before he left for England to not indulge in women, wine and meat. But it was in England and south africa that gandhi learnt about various different religions and incorporated different practices in his own personal life. Gandhi often interacted with the members of clergy and widely read books on religions including: the sayings of zarathustra, upanishads, the geeta, the life of muhammad, the koran. In his own words, he found peace and inspiration from religion and also helped him later in life to bring harmony amongst the religions. Even in his politics, there was always an element of religion, which he used to bring people together and motivate them. Gandhi’s idea of secularism was not alienation of all religion instead, a celebration of all religions.
- Gandhiji arrived in India on January 9, 1915. He did not command much significance as a national leader in India, but mostly spoke of his work in South Africa. He was welcomed by the people of Bombay in a grand reception and also awarded “Kaiser-I-Hind” by the British Government.
- Gandhiji did not enter right into politics. On the advice of his political mentor and a moderate, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, he took a “year of probation” where he did not participate in any public question. Gandhi travelled around India during this year trying to understand its people and culture.
- Raj Kumar Shukla, a money lender who also owned some land, persuaded Gandhi to go to Champaran and thus, the Champaran Satyagraha began. Gandhi arrived in Champaran eminent lawyers which also included Rajendra Prasad. While he also conducted detailed surveys of the villages, noting down each and every atrocity done against the peasants, they also focused on social development and began setting up schools and hospitals. Peasants were educated on basic hygiene and awareness was built around repressive practices such as the purdah system and suppression of women It was after this agitation that he came to be known as “Bapu” and “Mahatma”
- http://www.gandhiashramsevagram.org/story-of-gandhi/chapter-16-ahmedabad-mill-workers-satyagraha.php Ahmedabad was a major commercial centre, and there were many textile mills. An agitation had been going on between the labourers and the owners of cotton textile mills for an increase of wages. The mill owners would not agree. Gandhi sympathized with the workers and took up their cause. He launched a struggle and resorted to peaceful resistance. Gandhi himself went on a "fast unto death" to strengthen the workers resolved to continue the strike. The mill owners gave away and a settlement was reached after 21 days of strike. The Kheda district of Gujarat was on the verge of famine owing to failure of the crops. The yield had been so low that the cultivators were unable to pay the revenue. The colonial government, nevertheless, refused to offer tax remissions.
- The peasants, workers and artisans appreciated the fact that Gandhiji used to dress, live, and speak like them. They understood him as the first leader that was truly empathetic to the suffering of the common folk. This image of him was further enhanced by his decisions to follow an ascetic lifestyle and a life of simplicity & abstinence.
- The Rowlatt Act, an unpopular legislation among Indians, provided for stricter control of the press, arrests without warrant, indefinite detention without trial. Those convicted were prohibited from taking part in any political, educational, or religious activities. They gave enormous powers to the police to search a place and arrest any person they disapproved of without warrant. This act gave Gandhi an issue out of which he could manufacture a much wider movement and dissent against the colonial rulers. The protest was particularly intense in Punjab, where many men had served on the British Side in the Great War. Even after the bloody climax at Jallianwala Bagh, the campaign proved to be highly successful And marked Gandhi a truly national leader.
- A change of his gradual perception from a freedom fighter to a visionary, revolutionary(?), and a great man. First national movement-non cooperation. Individual satyagraha, self reliance, charkha, manual labour vs mental labour Civil disobedience, salt - why salt, world fame Round table conference- outcomes Tried to avoid partition, never held any political office Poona pact - 1937 election Untouchability work Quit india Final sacrifice, died as a matyr His death as a unifying cause for the country
- It was a reaction to oppressive policies of british such as the rowlatt act and jallianwala bagh massacre. Gandhi was horrified. He lost all faith in the goodness of the British government and declared that it would be a "sin" to cooperate with the "satanic" government.Gandhi lost faith in constitutional methods and turned from cooperator of British rule to non-cooperator. There were other economic motives too. The drain of Indian wealth to britain had led to the decline of indian artisans and industry. There was also resentment against the british because of Indians dying in WW1. Gandhiji was arrested in march 1922 on charge of sedition. Negative tactics, to create a positive respones, educat people about satyagraha
- Non-cooperation called for renunciation of all voluntary association with the British government whether one was a lawyer, a teacher, a student or a peasant. It was negative because it called for not to pay taxes, not to work, not to attend schools and colleges, not to wear foreign cloth. It was essentially, training for self-rule through peaceful methods.
- Protesters would refuse to buy British goods, adopt the use of local handicrafts and picket liquor shops. Often The ideas of Ahimsa and nonviolence, and Gandhi's ability to rally hundreds of thousands of common citizens towards the cause of Indian independence, were first seen on a large scale in this movement through the summer of 1920.
- 1924- after being released from jail, Gandhiji didn’t jump into politics but rather focused on his social work. Believed that Indians must prove worthy of independence by ridding themselves of social evils like sati and untouchability. He was different from other leaders as he practised what he preached and empathised with the people rather than talking down to them. He set himself as an example for others through his actions He would break centuries old caste boundaries by cleaning the toilets himself and spinning the charkha, hence doing both mental and manual labour. Gandhji was so determined to live an ascetic life that he wouldn't accept any unnecessary commodity, as sarojini naidu once remarked
- When Gandhiji declared his intention to launch a salt march, he was met with disapproval many prominent congress leaders like Nehru and Patel were also not convinced by the choice of salt for protest. Patel even suggested that he change the protest towards land tax rather than salt tax. Hence both Congress and the British Government were not convinced of the salt tax efficacy. The statesman even went on to say: (change slide, then come back) The use of salt showed tactical wisdom because: -it was a necessary commodity in the climate, used by everyone but rich and poor alike -a way to involve women in the movement as it was the women who mostly bought groceries and were directly involved with salt -salt tax was also 8.2% of the British Revenue The movement ofcourse was a success contrary to earlier disbeliefs. - Women participated in large numbers. -world media reported it extensively -and brought the British to the conclusion to give more powers to the Indians Ended with the signing of Gandhi-Irwin pact in 1931
- Demands for swaraj, or self-rule, in India had been growing increasingly strong ever since the commitment to “Poorna swaraj” or complete independence at the Lahore Session of Congress in December 1929. And the events since then had been a testimony to this sentiment. The Round Table Conferences of 1930–32 were a series of conferences organized by the British Government to discuss constitutional reforms in India. Gandhi sought constitutional reforms as a preparation to the end of colonial British rule, and begin the self-rule by Indians. The British side sought reforms that would keep Indian subcontinent as a colony. However, there were significant disagreements between the Indian and the British political parties that the Conferences would not resolve. The First RTC was a futile attempt as there was a lack of pre eminent politcal leadership from India except for princely rulers, and other leaders, as most of them, at the time, were in jail due to their participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
- The signing of the Gandhi-Irwin pact in March 1930, which resulted in calling off the Civil disobedience movement, release of the political prisoners and paved way for the 2nd RTC. Gandhiji attended the RTC along with other representatives of Congress like Madan Mohan Malviya and Rangaswami Iyengar and Sarojni Naidu. Opposition from the league and ambedkar, princely rulers The British negotiators proposed constitutional reforms on a British Dominion model that established separate electorates based on religious and social divisions. The latter suggestion was supported by many Indian religious leaders, such as Muslims and Sikhs, who also press their demands along religious lines, as well as B. R. Ambedkar as the representative leader of the dalits and other oppressed castes. He feared that it would not bring people together but divide them, perpetuate their status and divert the attention from India's struggle to end the colonial rule.
- https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/a-part-that-parted/281929 Again, due to the stark difference of opinion between the representatives, the conference failed to produce any conclusive results. Hence, Gandhi ji returned to India and resumed civil disobedience.
- At the beginning of WW2, congress had demanded a guarantee of freedom in return of war effort to the british. This was refused. -stafford cripps was sent by winston churchill to negotiate a compromise, however the british did not argee to the congress demand that the defence minister in the viceroy’s executive council should be an Indian. At this point MK Gandhi declared the Quit India Movement -while most congress leaders were arrested, the movement was carried forward by young socialists like jayaprakash narayan. -during this time the league supported the british and worked to expand its influence. -the league, Hindu mahasabha and the RSS had chosen to boycott the quit India movement. The hindu Mahasabha even launched a slogan “Stick to your posts” urging people to not join the quit india movement.
- Gandhi ji opposed the partition of the country and the large scale violence that followed it. -He did not participate in any of the independence day celebration. -went around the country to convince people to give up arms and build peace and trust between the two communities -gandhiji visited noakhali in east bengal, then bihar, punjab and delhi. -while all the congress leaders and the british officials were busy, Gandhiji was the sole mass leader who was able to reach out to people’s hearts and stop the violence.
- In delhi he used to hold public prayer meetings where people from all sorts of religious background attended -prayers were read from both the hindu scriptures and the Quran. -often disrupted by extremists over readings from the Quran -on 20th january an attempt was made to kill Gandhi ji by a hindu refugee who exploded a bomb in the birla house. Gandhi ji forgave the man immediately call him just a “tool” in the hands of hateful and extremist forces. He refused to take police protection. -Gandhi ji responded not by hate but by love. He asked each hindu member to come together with a muslim as a gesture of brotherhood to the January 25 prayer meeting. -On 30th jan he was shot dead by an extremist named Nathuram Godse. His death had a calming effect on the whole country, riotings suddenly subdued down and people began realizing their folly.
- http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-38794202 The biggest issue the RSS has with Gandhi is that he advocated Hindu-Muslim unity while proclaiming himself to be a devout Hindu. The cornerstone of its worldview is Hindu supremacy.
- It has been a 100 years since Gandhiji first began his movements in India. Yet his ideals seem more relevant now than ever. There are various factors in India and in the world which convey the need of gandhian way of thinking. Martin luther king jr, nelson mandela, lech walesa, un declaration of international non violence day Modern relevance of Gandhi, Trying to relive gandhi, swachh bharat
- Today, there are various forms of political violence, movements are aimed at causing destruction and loss. The Gandhian idea of civil disobedience, in which satyagrahis do not aim to cause violence or hit anyone but use their intellect and their bodies to force the government to listen to them is essential. As noted in the diary of a police officer during the salt march : the british government did not know how to respond to this army of peace, it was easy to suppress violence rebels but on what basis could the government suppress these people who were not violent but nevertheless adamant. The ideals of Satyagraha have inspired many movements in India such as the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the Civil Rights Movement In the US/
- Gandhian ideals of equality and focus on villages as centres of development rather than cities are also important today in a globalised age. -large rural-urban migration -smart cities but no focus on village industries and self reliance His reform movements against untouchability and oppression against women are also important as the country still continues to face these problems. -he is a role model for politician, as he did not merely focus on capturing power bt was more concerned in bettering the society.
- His ideals have also been recognised in various fields all over the world. Recently the Harvard University in the US used Gandhian ideals in business to coin the term Gandhian innovation where people can use the least possible resources available to them to produce more which is to be equally distributed.
- Gandhi does not belong to an era, but to all of humanity and eternity. -Universality of gandhian principles -statues present in 70 countries -100 countries have released stamps honouring him -inspired leaders all parts of the world
- LEGACY & RELEVANCE The general image of Gandhi, has been reinvented since his assassination as if he was always a saint, when in reality his life was more complex, contained inconvenient truths and was one that evolved over time. Mahatma Gandhi was, in a world full of evil, an apostle of tolerance, of non-violence and of belief. The strength of his intellect was the most powerful weapon of peace. The ethics of non-violence of which he was a living example live on without boundaries in time or space.