RONO HILLS, 9 Oct: Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) here on Sunday organised an international symposium on ‘Gandhian ideas’ as part of a series of programmes under the celebration of the ‘Pakhwada on Mahatma Gandhi’, marking Gandhi Jayanti.
The fortnight-long programme started on 3 October and will continue till 17 October.
In his keynote address, Prof Christian Bartolf of Free University, Berlin, Germany, presented five writings of Gandhi.
“I will certainly not talk about Gandhi, but I want to share with you five texts that are of particularly great importance, which he wrote not only for India but for the world,” he said, and explained “the writings of Gandhi and their communications with other world reformers.”
Prof Gollanapalli Prasad of Hyderabad-based Gandhi-King Foundation spoke about the Gandhian ideas of truth and non-violence. He also explained the fundamental concepts of the Gandhian ideas of ‘Sarvodaya, Swaraj, Swadeshi, and Satyagraha’.
RGU Vice Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha explained Gandhi “in a mathematical sense.” He said that “Gandhiji is inversely proportional to the probability of nuclear war.
“If we follow the Gandhian ideas of life, the chances of war occurring will get lesser and lesser,” he said.
The VC advised the younger generation to spend more time with wiser people, “as they are the ones who prescribe better advice.”
RGU Pro-VC Prof A Mitra in a video message referred to Gandhi as “a great economist,” saying that “Gandhiji preached about the need of self-sufficiency, which is only now realised as a policy called Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
“Gandhiji also gave immense importance to the conservation of environment,” Prof Mitra said, and added: “Presently, our Earth is suffering from global warming and resource management, which would not have happened if we had learnt from Gandhiji.”
Dr Kottu Sekhar from the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development shared his thoughts on his institute collaborating with RGU for the symposium.
RGU Registrar Dr NT Rikam spoke about the relevance of Gandhi in the modern times. “Gandhi is known to everyone of us, but the only difference is upon how we perceive him,” he said, adding that “Gandhiji is a way of life not only for the Indians but for everyone in the world.”
RGU History Department Head Prof Ashan Riddi also spoke.
