“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” This is one of the most famous quotes by Gandhi – also known as Bapu, the man who inspired me and a lot of others to live a life of truth and peace. But who was genuinely the Mahatma and what did he do? Most importantly, how did he in particular inspire me to become an improved person? What are the principles and values of Mahatma Gandhi that the masses adhere to? Moreover, the future consequential leaders of the likes of whom revered him – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Barack Obama. In this feature article, I will share with you how Mahatma Gandhi evolved my and a lot of others’ thought process, serving as a bridge for the greater good of the global world, and the underprivileged.
Who was Mahatma Gandhi, and what did he do to acclaim the title, Mahatma? — a person regarded with love and respect, a holy person or sage. Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India – a city in the now state of Gujarat. He was one of the privileged Indians – who studied law in London and worked as a lawyer in South Africa, where he faced racial discrimination and injustice, whilst during his stay he strived for social justice for the Indian minority in South Africa. After his return to India in 1915 ultimately, he joined the Indian National Congress, a political party that fought for India’s independence from British rule. Throughout his leadership, he advocated a method of nonviolent defiance, also known as “satyagraha”, which implies “holding onto truth”. He led many campaigns and movements, such as the Salt March, the Quit India Movement, and the Non-Cooperation Movement, penultimately this propelled India – also known as “Bharat” to gain independence from the clutches of British colonialism, transforming itself to a secular, parliamentary democracy. Unfortunately, he was assassinated on January 30, 1948, by a Hindu extremist who opposed his efforts to promote secularism & unity among the religious minorities of India — Hindus and Muslims. He is widely regarded as the father of the Indian nation and a global icon of nonviolence, especially for leaders of large-scale social movements.
How did Mahatma Gandhi inspire me to become a better person? I first encountered Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings through Indian political commentary, print news, and books. I was amazed by his courage, wisdom, and compassion — was inspired by his vision of a free and peaceful world which was for all but not the few. Moreover, by his words and actions that showed me how to live with integrity, dignity, and love. Therefore, I decided to follow his example and adopt his principles and values as my own. He became a person I look up to for personal growth and social change. His proposition of peaceful coexistence of different communities is well articulated by the structural model of my school – which is diverse to its fullest. Personally, I try to implement the fulcrum of Bapu’s ideology to my daily workings — personal life & school. Living in a diverse society is a real challenge — one should not be encapsulated in its own egos, nationalism, and or cultural superiority. The aforementioned traits are easy to have, since in a competitive environment these tendencies do prevail. But to not get deviated by our psychosis; one can reinvigorate themselves by learning & understanding the Gandhian doctrine of thought. You will not be a saint but at least you are not an impediment to society.
What are the principles and values of Mahatma Gandhi that I follow? Mahatma Gandhi based his philosophy and practice of nonviolence categorically on four fundamental principles: truth, ahimsa, swaraj, and sarvodaya. Truth means being honest and truthful to oneself and others. Ahimsa means nonviolence or non-harm in thought, word, and deed. Swaraj means self-rule or self-reliance — both individually and collectively. Sarvodaya means the welfare and upliftment of everyone – from deprivation. These principles are interrelated and interdependent, and they serve as a guiding block for me and countless supporters of his.
How do I apply Mahatma Gandhi’s principles and values in my daily life? And how can they help us create a better world? In this feature article, I have shared with you how Mahatma Gandhi changed my life and the world. He taught me how to struggle for justice without violence but peaceful means – don’t have hatred for one’s caste, culture, creed, religion, and color. Moreover, how to grow as a person, and how to live with truth and peace. I believe that his principles and values can reform the current societal philosophical norms and thus, help us create a positive world by inspiring us to work together for social justice, peace, and harmony. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” I hope that by following his example, we can all be involved in the greater change that we aspire to see in the world.
