Review: Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been a big fan of Dr. S Radhakrishnan’s writings and wisdom. He brings a level of depth to his philosophy which is rare, as also spiritual insight with his exceptional knowledge of various traditions in the world.

That said, this book is less about Dr. S Radhakrishnan’s writings – it is a collection of essays of eminent personalities on their impression of Mahatma Gandhi. Of course, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s is one of the best written pieces. The early part of the book (around 2/3rd) was written when Mahatma Gandhi was alive and India had not yet won freedom. Dr. S Radhakrishnan had presented this to Mahatma Gandhi on his 70th birthday as the first edition. He wanted to add more content and present a second edition to Mahatma Gandhi on his 80th birthday, but that was not to be. The later part of the book has tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and also a few of his speeches and writings.

Mahatma Gandhi continues to evoke interest to this day. While there have been a few critical pieces recently, the point is that he never claimed perfection and would have been most happy to hear other viewpoints. His conviction in seeking truth, uncompromising attitude to ahimsa / non-violence, his reinforcement of the oneness of life – man or animals was unwavering though. This finds consistent mention from all writers, as also his humility, simplicity and concern for the underprivileged. Many writers also touch upon his fearlessness and selflessness – putting himself at significant risk many times and getting arrested frequently.

What makes the book interesting is the detailed discussions it ventures into on complex life matters. And the writers make the effort to point out areas they do not entirely agree with Mahatma Gandhi. His steadfast belief in non-violence is one such – would this have worked against opponents who did not have much of a conscience and were brutal – eg: Nazi Germany. His attitude with respect to factories is discussed – while he was made out to be against modernisation, that was not entirely right – rather he simply wanted a sustainable village economy as well. There was also a concern that his practice of fasting could be adopted by others for inferior motives – what if it is used for coercion to obtain wrong concessions. Yet, all acknowledged that with Mahatma Gandhi, it was a matter of inner conviction and principles. And his fasts many times did bring about peace, in very troubled situations.

As mentioned in one of essays – Mahatma Gandhi operated at a plane where the best of all religions meet. As a result, he was very comfortable with reading, understanding and practising methods from any tradition. Many of the western writers felt he was demonstrating how Christ’s teachings should be applied in every day life.

Much of what Gandhi preached is what we need to revisit today – non-violence, concern for the environment, sustainability, inclusive growth and open-mindedness. He is a role model like none other in recent times.

This is a book I strongly recommend – it is very inspiring and a reminder of the positive change one individual can bring about.

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