India After The Mahatma
Director, PGSR, SNDT Women's University, Mumbai
Introduction
Mahatma Gandhi was a visionary who made an epoch making contribution
for socio, political, economic and cultural transformation of not only India
but also the world. His public life began with peaceful civil disobedience in the Indian
community's struggle against racism and for civil rights of non-white
population in South Africa. After his return from South
Africa to India, he organized all sections of society, from budding
industrialists, educated intelligential, women and children to poor farmers and
labourers to protest against oppressive British regime and widespread
discrimination. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress, Gandhi led
nationwide campaigns for the alleviation of poverty, for fight against
merciless taxation of poor peasants, for the liberation of women, for communal
harmony and democratic rights of ethnic groups, for an end to barbaric practice
of untouchability and caste
discrimination, and for the economic self-sufficiency of the nation, but above
all, for Swaraj (home
Rule) the independence of India from foreign domination.
Gandhi famously led the civil disobedience movement against the salt tax
imposed by the British Administration with the 400 kilometer (250 miles) Dandi Salt
March in 1930. He masterminded the Quit India Movement in
1942.
I congratulate Shri M.D. Shah Mahila College of Arts & Commerce, Malad for
organizing a National Seminar on this important theme during the
centenary year of Gandhiji’s famous series of articles in Harijan written
during 1908 compiled as “Hind Swaraj” in which he gave his vision of future of
India and demanded “human face” for economic development, growth, science and
technology. READ FULL ARTICLE…
