Gandhi

Gandhi’s grandson to discuss nonviolence at Continuing Studies talk

BY MARGOT DIMOND
Rice News staff

When Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi was born in 1869 to a prosperous middle-class family in India, the country was a British colony. When he died, in 1948, India was a free nation and is now one of the world’s great democracies.

Often called the “Father of the Nation” by his countrymen, Mahatma (meaning “Great Soul”) Gandhi had a great impact on India’s political destiny. His devotion to nonviolence, his decision to embrace poverty despite being educated as a barrister in England and his ultimate decision to support independence for India — all contributed to what has become a compelling and inspiring story of the triumph of the best in human nature over one’s own worst instincts.

Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence will be the topic of a lecture by Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma, at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, at Houston Community College.*

The talk, coordinated by the School of Continuing Studies, is titled “Gandhi: An Enduring Legacy of Nonviolence.” It is the keynote lecture in an upcoming course, “India: Ancient Values and Modern Realities,” but interested individuals may enroll in this single-lecture program.

“[Mahatma Gandhi] fought not only for the independence of India, but also for friendship between different religious and ethnic groups — in particular between Hindus and Muslims and also between the so-called high castes and the so-called untouchables,” said Rajmohan in a recent telephone interview.

He noted that while his grandfather came from a conservative family, he displayed his ability to think independently at a young age. At the age of 18, Mahatma sailed for Southampton, England, to study law. The people of his caste, who viewed crossing the sea as an irreligious act, threatened to excommunicate him. He went anyway and lost his caste. “He seemed impelled at an early age to do these controversial and necessary things,” Rajmohan said.

Mahatma eschewed the term “passive resistance,” considering it a weak phrase. An active man, he wanted a positive phrase and settled on “Satyagraha,” which Rajmohan said can be translated variously as “firmness in the truth,” “truth force” or “nonviolent force.”

Rajmohan said he decided to promote the legacy of his famous grandfather when he faced situations somewhat similar to the ones Mahatma faced — in this case, political difficulties between India and Pakistan over Kashmir and religious conflicts. “What [my grandfather] said and did made a lot of sense relevant to the situation I was addressing,” he said. “Conflict is a part of contemporary life, and how to conduct these conflicts is a great question. “

Asked to name contemporaries who also have a “great soul,” Rajmohan did not hesitate: “My grandfather was not unique. Nelson Mandela has it. The Dalai Lama has it, as does [Nobel Peace Prize winner] Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest in Burma for years. These three have similar spirits, such as their willingness to fight, but without killing, and to respect the dignity of opponents.

“[Mahatma’s] genius was not only that he held these views, but that for a great period of time, he persuaded so many Indians to share these views with him and to fight alongside him in a similar way,” he said.

Rajmohan said he believes that nonviolence is not just a rarely attainable ideal, but a pragmatic approach to advancing a cause.
“Apart from any innate or inherent quality in nonviolence, it’s also practical because when people use violence against strong opponents, they invite terrible suffering on their compatriots, the people they claim to love,” he said. “So the violence proves totally counterproductive. That means that nonviolence is not only a principle, it’s an effective strategy as well.”

Rajmohan is a visiting professor of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and faculty director of Global Crossroads at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He is not only the grandson of Mahatma, but also of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first governor general of independent India.

For more information on the lecture or the course, call the School of Continuing Studies at 713-348-4803 or visit <www.scs.rice.edu>.

*The exact location of the lecture will be sent with enrollment acknowledgment.