About Mahatma Gandhi

To think about Gandhiji and his accomplishments just in Indian context would be very unfortunate and narrow¬minded. Gandhiji was a thinker, a seeker, a practitioner of universal stature. He was a scientist of the tallest order, whose experiments benefited all those in the world who cared to adopt his ways and means. Gandhiji’s laboratory was firstly his own self and his own life; he had no ideological guinea pigs.

Gandhiji’s profound philosophies are an extrapolation of the experiments that he undertook in an array of subjects. He thought differently. He dared to explore newer means to age¬old ends, and experimentation was his chosen tool. Where and when violence was thought to be the only means to fight violence, he demonstrated through successful experimentation that non¬violence was a feasible and more effective option. The world could now look forward to living and letting live, instead of killing and dying.

Likewise, Gandhiji has evolved revolutionary theories and practices through self¬experimentation that cover a very wide range of subjects. Importantly, the longevity of these prophesies has outlived all estimates. Today, a significant section of visionaries and other men who matter sincerely believe that Gandhiji’s legacies, if applied with diligence, can cure the maladies faced by a fast, restless, selfish, ruthless, ambitious and inconsiderate 21st century.

The first step towards this end is understanding what Gandhiji said and meant, and also comprehending why and how it is relevant as a remedy to contemporary problems.