New Book Published : GANDHI IN THE WEST - The Mahatma and the Rise of Radical Protest : by Sean Scalmer

GANDHI IN THE WEST - The Mahatma and the Rise of Radical Protest : by Sean Scalmer

Published by : Cambridge Press

 

Pages : 254

 

Price : Rs. 795/-
 

---

About the Book:

The non-violent protests of civil rights activists and anti-nuclear campaigners during the 1960s helped to redefine Western politics. But where did they come from? Sean Scalmer uncovers their history in an earlier generation's intense struggles to understand and emulate the activities of Mahatma Gandhi. He shows how Gandhi's non-violent protests were the subject of widespread discussion and debate in the USA and UK for several decades. Though at first misrepresented by Western newspapers, they were patiently described and clarified by a devoted group of cosmopolitan advocates. Small groups of Westerners experimented with Gandhian techniques in virtual anonymity and then, on the cusp of the 1960s, brought these methods to a wider audience. The swelling protests of later years increasingly abandoned the spirit of non-violence, and the central significance of Gandhi and his supporters has therefore been forgotten. This book recovers this tradition, charts its transformation, and ponders its abiding significance.

About Author...

SEAN SCALMER is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Historical Studies, University of Melbourne. He is the author of two books on the history of social movements - Dissent Events: Protest and the Media in Australia (2002) and The LIttle History of Australian Unionism (2006). He is also co-author with S. Maddison of Actitivist Wisdom : Practical Knowledge and Creative Tension in Social Movements and co-editor with S. Macintyre of What If? Australian History as It Might Have Been (2006).

Sewagram Ashram to celebrate 75th anniversary next month

Sewagram Ashram's tryst with India's destiny started on June 16, 1936 when Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the father of the nation, settled in Wardha for a few years. 75 years later, the place in Wardha acts as an inspiration and embodiment of hope for lakhs of visitors. The Sewagram Ashram would be celebrating its platinum jubilee and the management has planned mega celebrations to commemorate the event. 

"We're planning to invite former president APJ Abdul Kalam and Congress president Sonia Gandhi," Sewagram Ashram Pratishthan trust chairman Madhav Gadkari told TOI.

The preparations have already started and children from nearby schools and college would be invited for the function. A tree plantation programme would also be held.

Deliberating on the ashram's journey, the septuagenarian said the ashram came up on 10 acres of farmland owned by bizman Jamnalal Bajaj. "It all started from Gandhiji's salt satyagraha from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad in 1930 when he decided not to go back to the place till India achieves Independence. He was sent behind bars by the British government subsequently. When he came out, he wanted to stay at a place which should be at centre of the country so that he could be accessible to the people."

He added that Bajaj, who was his ardent follower, then offered the piece of land in Sewagram to him. "Bajaj was on cloud nine when Gandhiji accepted his offer. The selection was actually made by Meeraben who came from England and was accompanying the leader. There were no roads at that time."

However, Gandhiji had put a condition that the huts would be constructed with the raw material available in the villages and cost should not exceed Rs 100. Even a board outside Bapu Kuti reads that cottage was built as per Bapu's instructions and it was his wish that all material should be local and expenses shouldn't go beyond Rs 100.

So Adi Niwas was first constructed where all used to live together and this included Gandhiji and wife Kasturba. Then a separate hut for women was built. The Bapu Kuti was actually built for Meeraben but she offered it to the Mahatma.

The trust authorities admit that they were finding it difficult to maintain the Ashram due to a financial crunch. In fact it's the maintenance cost of cottages which is making the matters difficult as they are made up of soil and wood. The soil has to be changed after a certain period. "Additionally, we also have to preserve articles and materials that were being used by Gandhiji," said Gadkari.

The ashram gets donations from some individuals and also some organizations. "We also have our Khadi business. We gain some revenue from Yatri Niwas that was constructed by the government. We also have our farms wherein we grow vegetables," Gadkari, who met Gandhi in 1946, informed.

He added that the ashram receives a footfall of over 3 lakh visitors every year. Many of them stay back but "we are not able to provide them good guides due to the financial crunch". "We have 40 inmates here on an average and we provide some of them free lodging and boarding for their services. We also started an old school in our premises that was launched by Gandhiji. We're making efforts to improve the facility," said Gadkari. 

Courtesy: http://m.timesofindia.com/city/nagpur/Sewagram-Ashram-to-celebrate-75th-anniversary-next-month/articleshow/8625699.cms

New Book Published - GOING NATIVE : Gandhi's Relationship with Western Women

GOING NATIVE - Gandhi's Relationship with Western Women : by Thomas Weber

Published by : Roli Books Pvt. Ltd. 

Pages : 406 

Price : Rs. 395/-
 

---

About the Book:

Gandhi’s relationship with women has proved irresistibly fascinating to many, but it is surprising how little scholarly work has been undertaken on his attitudes to and relationships with women. Going Native details Gandhi’s relationship with Western women, including those who inspired him, worked with him, supported him in his political activities in South Africa, or helped shape his international image. Of particular note are those women who ‘went native’ to live with Gandhi as close friends and disciples, those who were drawn to him because of a shared interest in celibacy, those who came seeking a spiritual master, or came because of mental confusion. Some joined him because they were fixated on his person rather than because of an interest in his social programme. Through these fascinating women, we get a different insight into Gandhi, who encouraged them to come and then was often captivated, and at times exasperated, by them.

About Author...

Thomas Weber is a Gandhian Scholar, a Reader in the Politics and International Relations programme at Melbourne's La Trobe University. He has been researching and writings on Gandhi's life, thought and legacy for almost thirty years. His Gandhi related publications include : The Shanti Sena: Philosophy, History and Action; On the Salt March : The Historiography of Gandhi's March to Dandi; Conflict Resolution and Gandhian Ethics; and Hugging the Trees: The Story of the Chipko Movement.

Inspired by Gandhi's 'My Experiments with Truth' 360 management students sold 11,000 copies of Gandhi Autobiography within a month

Inspired by Gandhi's 'My Experiments with Truth'

360 management students sold 11,000 copies of Gandhi Autobiography 

to get hands-on experience of marketing

Now if you see many people reading Gandhi’s autobiography on roads, trains, buses or any other public places, don’t be surprised. It’s because 360 MBA students from Chetana Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai, sold 11,000 copies of ‘My Experiments with Truth’ in a month of March.

The idea of this project is to get some hands-on experience of sales, operations, finance and systems management. The students have handled all the responsibilities from design of the programme, sponsorship, operations, marketing, permissions and sales themselves.

The students wearing T-shirts with Gandhi’s messages and carry similar bookmarks and stickers sold copies of ‘My Experiments With Truth’ in English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati at malls, cinema houses, corporate offices, BMC and other public places across the city.

The project, ‘JAGRUTI’ a part of their academic programme, is being implemented jointly with Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal and NITIE. Prof Aparna Rao was in-charge of this campaign. Earlier, the students had set themselves a target of selling 6,000 copies of the book in a month; they met it within a fortnight. An inter-class competition in reaching out to corporate and others helped them to improve their marketing skills.

Gandhi’s Autobiography is the highest-selling books in the country. This year, up to now, over 3.36 lakh copies of the autobiography in 16 Indian languages were published and sold by Navjivan Trust, Ahmedabad.

6th International Youth Peace Festival

To mobilizing YOUTH to unite the WORLD,

YUVSATTA is organising

6th International Youth Peace Festival

from September 27 - October 2, 2011

at Peace-city, Chandigarh, India

Last date of Registration: April 30, 2011

Click here to know more...

Long live Gandhiji

('Faiz-a-Faiz' editorial from of the Pakistan Times date February 02, 1948.)

The British tradition of announcing the death of a king is "The king is dead, long live the king!"Nearly 25 years ago, Mahatama Gandhi writing a moving editorial on the late C.R Das in his exquisite English captioned it as "Deshbandhu is dead, long live Deshbandhu!" If we have chosen such a title for our humble tribute to Gandhiji, it is because we are convinced, more than ever before that very few indeed have lived in this degenerate century who could lay greater claim to immortality than this true servant of humanity and champion of downtrodden. An agonizing 48 hours at the time of writing this article, have passed since Mahatama Gandhi left this mortal soil. The first impact of the shock is slowly spending itself out, and through the murky mist of mourning and grief a faint light of optimistic expectation that Gandhiji has not died in vain, is glowing. Maybe it is premature to draw such a conclusion now in terms of net result, but judging by the fact that the tragedy has profoundly stirred the world's conscience, we may be forgiven if we lay store by the innate goodness of man. At least we can tell at the top of our voice suspicious friends in India that the passing away of Gandhiji is as grievous a blow to Pakistan as it is to India. We have observed distressed looks, seen moistened eyes and heard faltering voices in this vast sprawling city of Lahore to a degree to be seen to be believed. We have also seen spontaneous manifestations of grief on the part of our fellow...

Read on: http://www.viewpointonline.net/faiz-on-gandhi.html