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Why Indian Hearts Still Beat for Gandhi?

15:10, 2 October 2023
© Photo : Delhi Street Art
Sandeep Datta
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Born in Gujarat on 2 October 1889, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi led various public movements to free India from the shackles of the British Raj. But he remained committed to truth, vegetarianism and compassion for the downtrodden until his last breath in 1948.
Sputnik
On Mahatma Gandhi's 154th birth anniversary, the world pays homage to the Indian icon's struggle. Even today, the Indian youth continue to be deeply inspired by his charismatic personality and draw invaluable lessons from it.
Sputnik India interviewed several young individuals in Delhi to discover the reasons behind Gandhi's enduring charm and what qualities the contemporary political class can learn from his life.

Gandhi: A Unifying Force for Indian Freedom

Mayank Aggarwal, a student at Shri Ram College of Commerce (Delhi University) feels Gandhi’s ability to face failures was overwhelming.
He believes the one thing that present-day politicians can learn from Gandhi's personality is not to feel bad about your opponents. "That’s what Gandhi never did."
When asked about his thoughts on Mahatma Gandhi, Mayank stated that Mahatma Gandhi was a unifying force during the time of the Freedom Revolution.

“For me, he was that figure who did a lot of things. I feel he was the de-facto leader. On the Indian front, there was no leader like him who could lead the whole freedom revolution single-handedly,'' he told Sputnik India.

“People say stuff about him. There are people who dislike him… But for me, he was some person who people of that time saw as their father figure, and the person who could make them independent.”
Asked if Gandhi is still an inspiration, he said: “He is. Definitely. Not just in our nation but an inspiration for people across the world. Like wherever it’s felt there is need for revolution for something, he’s an inspiration there.”
World Needs Mahatma Gandhi Much More Than Ever Before
© Sputnik / Sandeep Datta

Non-Violence of Mahatma Gandhi

When Sanya, a student of Delhi University's Lady Irwin College, was asked what she thinks of first when Mahatma Gandhi is mentioned, she replied, "The simplicity that Gandhi ji has given to our generation is perhaps the best way to live. We do not have to be in some show-off session every time. We can be great while leading in a simple way.

Asked which is one quality that she feels today’s politicians must take from India's iconic leader Gandhi, the youngster said: “Today’s politicians are quite good at talking and making big promises. Perhaps they can make little promises but ensure they fulfil them for the people, who believed them and voted for them.”

Tolerance and Cooperation

Hardik Handa, a student of Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, believes that besides his larger-than-life personality, Gandhi's silence was most appealing. He feels today’s politicians need to learn to cooperate from Gandhi.

“Gandhi's greatness reflects from the honourific we use for him, ‘Mahatma’. I feel it was added to his name for having sacred thoughts, leadership qualities, and how he worked to make people feel intellectually free," the youngster stated.

He said ''until one doesn’t feel free inside the mind, they cannot take on the system or anyone. And, such thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi inspire me or our country.”

“As a personality, Gandhi was peaceful. Despite so much being planned or done against him by the British, he never reacted. He would first analyze before unleashing the required move. He could anticipate the reaction to his action,” Hardik opined.

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi sits in front of the old Parliament House on the opening day of the monsoon session of the Indian parliament
© AP Photo / Manish Swarup

Why Gandhi Still Fascinates the Youth?

Asha, a young woman working in Delhi's Mandi House area, remembers Gandhi for his two main qualities - peace and non-violence. "When I think of him, it's because of his personality traits, which he used to lead the freedom struggle. I even use them to solve my life's problems. So for me this is the ideal way, and I follow Gandhi's values such as these," she added.

Shubhechcha Bodalkar, a young Maharashtrian working in Delhi, believes that Gandhi ji inspires her with his wisdom, cleverness, patience and self-reliance: "I feel that one should have such self-reliance in life. Maybe it's necessary for us to bring Gandhian thoughts into our personal behaviour. That's very important.''

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