Some of his practices, such as brahmacharya, would appear regressive and outmoded and, in some respects, Gandhi might even appear patriarchal, casteist or, one who held racist views into his 20s. Some of it is understandable you can’t expect a man who walked around in a loincloth to be an icon for today’s generation. The ‘Father of the Nation’ appears more like the grandfather whose ideals are no more than mere platitudes to be paid lip service to.
Perhaps that makes it difficult for millennials and generation Z to relate to a moralist and idealist who is placed on a pedestal. The customary speeches and competitions organised on Gandhi Jayanti make him an omnipresent, saint-like figure. His image decorates our currency notes and his statues, our streets. From an early age, we are taught about his ideals of truth and non-violence our history textbooks make the story of Indian nationalism synonymous with Gandhi’s satyagrahas and movements. Mahatma Gandhi’s 152nd birth anniversary is, perhaps, an appropriate occasion to reflect on what he means to young Indians and the lessons he holds for them.įor most young Indians, Gandhi and his ideas are ubiquitous.
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