Quite a number of students shockingly pointed out that Mahatma Gandhi would have been

entirely forgotten today but for the holiday given on his birthday on 2nd October.

They also said that Mahatma Gandhi is being humiliated year after year, by several corrupt and
dishonest people holding positions of power and authority, who preside over meetings to pay
tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanthi day.

The students of present generation who have only heard about Mahatma Gandhi find it extremely
difficult to relate Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings to the present day happenings.

The consensus opinion amongst the students appear to be that the philosophy of Mahatma
Gandhi has been lost in India, though it should not be lost.

The students participating in the essay competition who are in the age group of 17 to 25 have
laboured hard to understand Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy by studying his writings and
commentaries about Mahatma Gandhi .

Relating today’s happenings to Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy , the students said that it would be
extremely difficult to imagine that a person like Mahatma Gandhi lived and worked in India at all.

Many students quoted Einstein’s observations in this regard and said that Einstein has been
proved right in today’s India.

Several students highlighted the relevance of Gandhiji’s philosophy of non violence, truth ,
prohibition , down to earth economic policies, untouchability, women’s emancipation etc.
While agreeing that Gandhian philosophy is no more being practiced in India in its true sense and
value, the students are convinced about the basics of Gandhian philosophy and its relevance for
all time to come ; but the students wonder as to whether the appropriate climate exists where
Gandhian philosophy can be practiced.

Many pointed out that the widespread liquor habit in the country today and its fast spreading
amongst the youth and the extensive corruption in public life and government departments are
the most visible acts of defiance of Gandhiji’s philosophy.

True, what Gandhiji promoted and the causes that he espoused were so long back , there may be
a need to re interpret his ideas to the present day India.

This particularly be so , since due to the globalization of the world, India is a different country
today and the aspirations and ambitions have changed.

The youth of India are ready to take a new look at the historical past and perhaps glean new
perspectives from it.

As the time move on, the new generation may not be willing to accept the past leaders at their
face value and would strive to have a healthy debate, when the ideals of Gandhiji may have to be
re interpreted and reshaped , without changing the basics.

May be, today’s spinning wheel in India should be software and biotechnology that may provide
the same economic and social results that Gandhiji wanted.

The students attempted to find out as to who should be held responsible for this scenario. Quite a
number of them pointed out that those who claim to be ardent followers of Mahatma Gandhi have
not lived up to his expectations and standards and therefore have remained as poor role models
for the youth of today. One student pointed out that even in Mahatma Gandhi’s time not every
Indian participated in the freedom struggle and went to jail. Only a small percentage of population
did. The student further said that the standards and culture of any society are always made and
nurtured by a very small fraction of the population of the society. Today, those who strongly
believe in Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy are a few in number but they are unwilling to make the
necessary sacrifices and wage the struggle at the level of required intensity to ensure that
Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy would stay in the country. Some students said that Gandhiji would
have fasted to the end to protest against the present situation but none of the present day
Gandhian followers are willing to do this. The students said that those who claim to be advocates
of Gandhian philosophy have failed by not working adequately to uphold Gandhian philosophy
and value system and politicians and bureaucrats have added to the decay. Who would stand by
Gandhiji’s philosophy if even those who call themselves as followers of Gandhiji would not have
the determination and desire to do so, asked the students.