Gandhi’s ideals must be
adopted in our nature, not simply in reference:
Gandhiji’s great grandson

Two day International Conference on
Gandhi’s Vision began at USTM
NINTH MILE, RI BHOI, 5 October, 2018: The
Meghalaya Governor Shri Tathagata Roy has inaugurated
the international conference on “Mahatma Gandhi’s Vision
and Contemporary Political Leadership in North East
India” here today amidst eminent Gandhain scholars and
reputed academicians from India and abroad. Organised by
the International Centre for Gandhian Studies (ICGS), a
research centre of the University of Science &
Technology Meghalaya, the two day conference is being
participated by more than hundred scholars, academicians
and intellectuals from different parts of the country
and also from few other countries like Bangladesh,
Australia, USA and Singapore. Shri Tushar Arun Gandhi,
the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and Chairman of
Mahatma Gandhi Foundation, Prof Sudarshan Iyengar,
renowned Gandhian and former Vice Chancellor, Gujarat
Vidyapith, Dr. Liaquat Ali, Vice Chancellor, Bangladesh
University of Health Sciences, Dhaka, Prof. B. Khadria,
Chairman, Zakir Hussain Centre, JNU have addressed the
conference, apart from others.
Addressing the inaugural session, Gandhiji’s great
grandson Tushar Arun Gandhi said, “Since many years,
political leadership in India has been party based,
instead of broad nationalistic view. Bapu’s ideals must
be adopted in our nature and not simply in references.
If we cannot do this, it is disrespect to him.” He said
that people should not keep themselves in narrow
nationalistic borders. “We should never forget his
Talisman and should recall the face of the poorest and
the weakest whenever we think of doing something.
Earlier, inaugurating the Conference, Shri Tathagata
Roy, Governor of Meghalaya said that Gandhiji not only
gave India its freedom but also gave the world and us a
new thought on nonviolence and sustainable living. His
teachings and experiments are more valid today than ever
before, especially when we are trying to find solutions
to worldwide greed, corruption, and violence. The
Governor appreciated USTM’s effort towards research on
Gandhiji.
Noted Gandhian Prof Sudarshan Iyengar emphasized on the
concept of “servant leadership” of Mahatma Gandhi and
said that when the problem is related to racial
discrimination, it transcends individual level. He also
said that reconciliation of unlimited wants with peace
is not possible.
Welcoming the august gathering, Dr Alaka Sarma, who is
also the Director of ICGS and Pro VC, USTM, stated,
“This conference will help us to explore the shortcoming
of our strategies to reach out to the poorest of the
poor of the north-eastern region and way forward to
achieve the development based on the vision of Mahatma
Gandhi. We feel that Mahatma Gandhi is most relevant
today than ever before and more so in the north-eastern
region than anywhere else in India.”
In his address, M Hoque, Chancellor, USTM said that
there is an urgent need to rekindle Mahatma Gandhi’s
philosophy of non-violence, peace, brotherhood and unity
among the diverse people with varied culture, community
and areas of this country. “Now is the time to inculcate
the philosophy of this great man among the masses”, he
said. The Conference has been organized on the occasion
of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Papers are being presented by participants on themes
like Peace and Conflict, Rural Economy, Cooperative
Federalism, Social Cohesion, Cattle Protection,
Industrialization, Infrastructure Development, Political
Ideology, Religion and Society, Gender Issues in
Society, Law and Justice, Cultural Nationalism, Media
and Social Change, Ethics and Morality, Decolonization,
Hind Swaraj, from Swaraj to Suraj. Dr Sanjib Goswami,
Adjunct Prof. USTM and co-convenor of the conference
delivered the vote of thanks at the end of the inaugural
session.
PHOTO CAPTIONS:
1. Tushar Arun Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma
Gandhi being felicitated by M Hoque, Chancellor, USTM
during the Inaugural of International Conference on
Mahatma Gandhi’s Vision organised by USTM on 5th
October, 2018.
2. Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy releasing the Book
of Abstracts of the International Conference on Mahatma
Gandhi’s Vision organised by USTM on 5 October 2018.
3. Gandhiji’s great grandson Tushar Arun Gandhi
addressing the International Conference on Mahatma
Gandhi's Vision at University of Science & Technology,
Meghalaya on 5th October,2018. |