January 30, the date on which Gandhi was shot, comes four days after January 26, when India became a republic in real sense of the term. Though Gandhi did not live to see India become a republic, his contribution, a very significant one, in the creation of this republic cannot be undermined. As we enter the 66th year of the Indian Republic, it may be a good idea to revisit Gandhi. Particularly for the benefit of our post-Independence generation, mainly the youth whose overwhelmingly large number will be the main driving force behind the development of the Indian republic.
More than what Gandhi did, it is important to understand what Gandhi stood for. His values, his beliefs, and of course his commitment to the causes close to his heart. Gandhi’s gifts to humanity at large may be for a global populace, but his lessons for the youth of India are important. More so because the youth today need such a role model. It needs to be explored and examined how lessons from Gandhi’s life could be applied to find solutions to the problems of the huge young population of this country, given the restlessness, impatience and highly materialistic attitude of the majority of the youth.
It is not easy to believe that a man born some 14-15 decades ago can be relevant today. But, yes, Gandhi is meaningful even today. largely for the lessons he taught through his actions, and not by preaching alone. He was an exemplar, who walked the talk. What began in the first class compartment of that train in South Africa continued throughout his life — the struggle against injustice.
That, perhaps, is the biggest lesson of Gandhi — what is right is right and it must be fought for. His contribution in defining India as a nation is seminal and he could do this only after travelling across India with the people of India. It was based on his first-hand experience that he developed an understanding of India. Not only did he bring the Congress to the masses, he united the masses into one nation. And this could be possible because of his earthy wisdom, his basic belief which he made public in one of his first speeches on a Congress platform that a few hundred lawyers could not represent India.
True to his belief, he lived like a commoner, leading a simple lifestyle and adopting the loincloth which he believed was what the poorest of Indians could afford those days. His message of simplicity and his empathy for the poor were his core values that led to his famous prescription for right action that later became the Gandhi talisman. It is worth quoting: “Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by itIJ Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destinyIJ In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millionsIJ” In fact, in a country like India, the Gandhi talisman offers a clue to solving the problem of persistent poverty.
The writer teaches management at Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad (Jharkhand). He can be reached at ppathak.ism@gmail.com
