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Why Gandhi Still Matters: An Appraisal of the Mahatma’s Legacy
Close to 150 years after he was born, how relevant is Mahatma Gandhi? In our country, he is revered as the Father of the Nation; his face still adorns currency notes, postage stamps and government offices; streets and welfare schemes continue to be named after him but has he been reduced to a mere symbol? Do his values, message and sacrifice have any meaning for us in the twenty-first century?
In Why Gandhi Still Matters, the Mahatma’s grandson and award-winning writer and scholar Rajmohan Gandhi, appraises Gandhi and his legacy by examining some of his most famous (and often most controversial) ideas, beliefs, actions, successes and failures. He analyses Gandhi’s commitment to democracy, secularism, pluralism, equality and non-violence, his gift to the world of satyagraha, the key strategies in his fight for India’s freedom, his opposition to caste discrimination, and his equations with Churchill, Jinnah and Ambedkar, as also his failings as a human being and family man. Taken together, the author’s insights present an unsentimental view of aspects of Gandhi’s legacy that have endured and those that have been cast aside by power-hungry politicians, hate groups, casteist organizations, venal industrialists, terrorists, and other enemies of India’s promise.
In Why Gandhi Still Matters, the Mahatma’s grandson and award-winning writer and scholar Rajmohan Gandhi, appraises Gandhi and his legacy by examining some of his most famous (and often most controversial) ideas, beliefs, actions, successes and failures. He analyses Gandhi’s commitment to democracy, secularism, pluralism, equality and non-violence, his gift to the world of satyagraha, the key strategies in his fight for India’s freedom, his opposition to caste discrimination, and his equations with Churchill, Jinnah and Ambedkar, as also his failings as a human being and family man. Taken together, the author’s insights present an unsentimental view of aspects of Gandhi’s legacy that have endured and those that have been cast aside by power-hungry politicians, hate groups, casteist organizations, venal industrialists, terrorists, and other enemies of India’s promise.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2017
10 people are currently reading
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About the author
Rajmohan Gandhi
44 books89 followersRajmohan Gandhi (born 1935)is a biographer and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and a research professor at the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
Until end-December 2012 he taught political science and history at the University of Illinois and divided his time between India and the United States.
Until end-December 2012 he taught political science and history at the University of Illinois and divided his time between India and the United States.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 23, 2019
An extremely relevant work by Rajmohan Gandhi in today's political setting and the overall global shift to the right. I found out about this book as a footnote to the regular editorial Gandhi writes in The Indian Express. If the reader can overlook some perceptions of the writer as he being the direct lineage of Bapu, this book possesses a very true message which needs to be remembered by the generations to come.
July 28, 2017
This is a shorter and a common man's version of the author's previous classic "The Good Boatman" (which analyses the legacy and nuances of Gandhi's thought threadbare). Almost all the important Gandhi quotes find a place in this volume. The book must be read to understand Gandhi's stances better and also to appreciate his relevance in today's polarised world.
May 29, 2017
Mahatma Gandhi is one of the grayest characters for me. The more you try to know this man, the more you can't figure him out. His efforts for the county leave you spellbound, but his ignorance towards his family and political reforms leaves you with despise for him. But even after 69 years of his assassination, he is still loved and prayed as equal as God in our country. But is it all really worth it? Do we really know the man who gave up everything for his love for the country?
Rajmohan Gandhi, a noted intellectual and Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, has now come out with a text that explores deeper into this mysterious man. He says that an all demanding effort to rid the country of Britishers came at a great price, and he should have devoted more time and attention to his wife and sons. In a recent interview to IANS, he said that "He should have given more time and attention to his wife and sons, and listened more to them. A flawless Gandhi would have been a superb husband and a superb father, in addition to being the astonishing friend and inspirer he was to Indians of every kind."
Why Gandhi Still Matters by Rajmohan Gandhi appraises his legacy by examining his most famous and controversial ideas, beliefs, success, and failures as well. His commitment to democracy and creating a self-serving nation by singing "Everything Swadeshi" can be seen in the book as well. The opposition caste is also there, Winston Churchill, Jinnah and surprisingly (for me at least), B.R. Ambedkar.
Now, coming to the essence of the book, with Why Gandhi Still Matters, Rajmohan Gandhi has done a deep comparison between the old times and the modern times, and he makes a valid point that nobody can be like Gandhi, and he was one and only. A person who gave up his comfortable life and family for the betterment of our country, people like that are not born anymore.
A person who came who came from a well established high-class family, backpacked all around the country in a train to understand what the country is lacking, how can he develop them to be self-sufficient and help them in getting rid of being dependent on foreign goods and Britishers. If you wanted to represent common people of India, you had to understand their plight and live with them.
Somewhere, Rajmohan Gandhi has also shared how Mahatma lacked the devotion towards his family. A great man would have managed both, but Gandhi chose country over family every single time. Did that bother the family? The answer is a mixed one. Some of the grandkids questioned his devotion that kept him away from them, his wife followed him everywhere without asking anything is return. Maybe that is how Great Men are made, but was he really that great? What about the policies that have hurt his beloved country also?
The answers are somewhere in Why Gandhi Still Matters, but they are not that clear. Gandhi still remains a gray character for me, just like the color of the book. But yes, the book has made me want to pick up more and know Mahatma Gandhi a bit more. And make sure you pick this copy because such thought provoking books should be definitely devoured.
Rajmohan Gandhi, a noted intellectual and Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, has now come out with a text that explores deeper into this mysterious man. He says that an all demanding effort to rid the country of Britishers came at a great price, and he should have devoted more time and attention to his wife and sons. In a recent interview to IANS, he said that "He should have given more time and attention to his wife and sons, and listened more to them. A flawless Gandhi would have been a superb husband and a superb father, in addition to being the astonishing friend and inspirer he was to Indians of every kind."
Why Gandhi Still Matters by Rajmohan Gandhi appraises his legacy by examining his most famous and controversial ideas, beliefs, success, and failures as well. His commitment to democracy and creating a self-serving nation by singing "Everything Swadeshi" can be seen in the book as well. The opposition caste is also there, Winston Churchill, Jinnah and surprisingly (for me at least), B.R. Ambedkar.
Now, coming to the essence of the book, with Why Gandhi Still Matters, Rajmohan Gandhi has done a deep comparison between the old times and the modern times, and he makes a valid point that nobody can be like Gandhi, and he was one and only. A person who gave up his comfortable life and family for the betterment of our country, people like that are not born anymore.
A person who came who came from a well established high-class family, backpacked all around the country in a train to understand what the country is lacking, how can he develop them to be self-sufficient and help them in getting rid of being dependent on foreign goods and Britishers. If you wanted to represent common people of India, you had to understand their plight and live with them.
Somewhere, Rajmohan Gandhi has also shared how Mahatma lacked the devotion towards his family. A great man would have managed both, but Gandhi chose country over family every single time. Did that bother the family? The answer is a mixed one. Some of the grandkids questioned his devotion that kept him away from them, his wife followed him everywhere without asking anything is return. Maybe that is how Great Men are made, but was he really that great? What about the policies that have hurt his beloved country also?
The answers are somewhere in Why Gandhi Still Matters, but they are not that clear. Gandhi still remains a gray character for me, just like the color of the book. But yes, the book has made me want to pick up more and know Mahatma Gandhi a bit more. And make sure you pick this copy because such thought provoking books should be definitely devoured.
December 18, 2021
A must read. Especially for those that revile him.
Will share a full review soon.
Will share a full review soon.
June 6, 2019
The most commendable thing about this book is that it doesn't put gandhi on a pedestal or deifies him. This book considers gandhi a normal person with his own strengths and flaws. Even bapu considered himself as a person with imperfections and this is exactly what the book wants to convey. The moment somebody does this it's easy to connect and then make sense of his decisions. Author isn't afraid to make references to some of the controversial aspects of mahatma. But along the way it also describes how this man went to conquer the heart and soul of the millions. It would be a great read for younger generation since most of us are either disillusioned with mahatma's life or find it very idealistic and ritualistic. In current times gandhi has certainly become more symbolic and somewhere we are loosing the essence of his values. I hope this brings out clarity to readers and gives insights into clearly the most influential person of India.
May 21, 2018
It puts the Gandhi and his philosophy in a different light. The essays are worth reading.
September 1, 2018
A worthy addition to the wealth of literature surrounding this unbelievable man, this short book - that is actually a collection of lectures the author delivered - forcefully and eloquently argues its point by covering different aspects of the Mahatma's life and work.
With loud voices questioning his legacy, of late, this erudite work should help sift through the noises and locate truth.
With loud voices questioning his legacy, of late, this erudite work should help sift through the noises and locate truth.
May 12, 2018
Nice Read. The author gives quiet a few arguments to strengthen his claim that the teachings of Gandhi are still valid to present day society.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews