Gandhi’s Ideas Continue to Guide Society Towards Truth, Non-Violence and Human Values
The Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Rashtrapati Niwas, Shimla, organised a special programme today to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. On the occasion, Fellows, scholars, officers and employees of the Institute remembered Mahatma Gandhi’s life, ideas and the ideals of truth and non-violence espoused by him.
The programme began with floral tributes being offered to Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait. Thereafter, Miss Ashnoor Kaur, a member of the Institute family, recited a poem inspired by the life and ideas of Mahatma Gandhi. Her presentation added a reflective and emotional dimension to the programme and highlighted the humanistic and ethical relevance of Gandhi’s ideals.
On the occasion, Professor Devi Prasad Tewari, Fellow, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, delivered a special lecture on “Mahatma Gandhi and the Contemporary Context.” He highlighted various dimensions of Gandhi’s personality, thought and social vision, while underlining the continuing relevance of his ideas in the present times. He emphasised the need to understand Gandhi’s thoughts in the context of values such as truth, non-violence, morality, social harmony and human dignity.
Professor Tewari observed that Gandhi’s ideas should not be confined merely to their historical context, but should also be viewed as a basis for continuous introspection and social dialogue. Through various aspects of Gandhi’s life and work, he highlighted the importance Gandhi attached not only to the ends but also to the purity of the means adopted to achieve them. Gandhi’s thought, he noted, remained centred on strengthening the sense of ethical responsibility in individual, social and public life.
The programme was chaired by Professor Himanshu Kumar Chaturvedi, Director, Indian Institute of Advanced Study. In his presidential address, he respectfully remembered Mahatma Gandhi and highlighted the wider relevance of his life and ideas. He observed that Gandhi’s personality occupies an important place in both Indian and global intellectual traditions, while his experiments with truth and non-violence gave a new direction to social and political discourse.
Professor Chaturvedi emphasised the need to understand Gandhi’s ideas in the context of the contemporary social and intellectual environment. He observed that Gandhi Jayanti is not merely an occasion to remember a great personality, but also an opportunity to reflect upon values such as truth, non-violence, self-discipline, social responsibility and human sensitivity.
The programme was moderated by Dr Rajeev Kumar Mishra, Librarian and Academic Resource Officer, Indian Institute of Advanced Study. He presented the programme outline, highlighted the significance of Gandhi Jayanti and expressed his gratitude to the speakers and members present for their participation.
A key thought that emerged during the programme was that Mahatma Gandhi’s thought is not confined to the social and political circumstances of his time. Rather, owing to its emphasis on values such as truth, non-violence, ethical conduct and human dignity, it continues to provide an important basis for reflection and discourse. The programme organised on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti thus provided an opportunity for dialogue and introspection on these enduring values.
On the occasion, a cleanliness pledge was also administered to all those present in accordance with the directions received from the Ministry of Education. Through the pledge, the participants resolved to uphold their individual and collective responsibility towards cleanliness, contribute to maintaining a clean and healthy environment, and make cleanliness an integral part of daily life.
The programme was attended by National Fellows, Tagore Fellows, Fellows, IUC Associates, scholars in residence, officers and employees, and other members of the Institute family.
