Modern day Gandhian Baba Amte passes away

Goodness seldom dies. And so in an age when there are social workers at literally the drop of a coin, the legacy of Muralidhar Devdas Amte or Baba Amte lives on. Baba Amte died today at the age of 94 in his ashram at Anandvan in Chitrapur. He had begun his life’s journey as a social worker from that very place about 40 years ago, taking forward the legacy of Shantivan and Sevagram and with it the spirit of the humanism that was alive in pre-independence India.

It was at Anandvan that Amte was first given 250 acres of land by the state government to start his work for leprosy patients. His work was not of charity, but that of creating a life of dignity and hard work for the patients.

What was achieved in Anandvan lives on today. It was but a laboratory for his vision of a life imbued with respect and self reliance, a model he wanted for the whole nation.

His ashram was home to destitutes and patients. Many of them had lost their fingers and feet due to the disease. Baba Amte not only trained himself to treat them, but also helped each of them acquire skills despite their handicap. These people under Baba Amte's guidance transformed this rocky and barren land into a model farm. This farm now produced vegetables and dairy products for neighbouring villages and is economically self sufficient. But most important of all, it is a place which has become an 'Abode of Joy' or 'Anandvan'.

Baba Amte was born into a wealthy Brahmin family and was trained in law. He joined the Indian freedom struggle against the British empire after he established himself as a trained lawyer. During his college holidays, Baba travelled all over India. He visited Shantiniketan, attracted by Rabindranath Tagore’s music and poetry. Closer to home, at Sewagram (Gandhiji’s ashram) near Wardha, Baba was equally fascinated with Gandhi’s relationship with God.

But it was the poetic simplicity of Maharashtra’s fiery social reformer, Sane Guruji, which pushed him into action. Baba Amte launched the Bharat Jodo movements from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in 1985 and Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh in 1988, with the mission of establishing peace and raising environmental consciousness.

Baba sought peace and justice, showed solidarity with tribals and was a big critic of the big dams like the Sardar Sarovar dam. In 1990, Baba Amte left Anandvan to live along the Narmada river to fight against social injustice to local inhabitants. Although he continued to support the movement for rehabilitation of tribals affected by the construction of large dams on the Narmada, he had recently returned to Anandvan for health reasons.

Amte brought out a booklet titled Cry O Beloved Narmada in July 1989, dubbing the Narmada project as a social, economic and ecological disaster-in-the-making. It also recounted the emerging protests against the mega dams. Baba concluded with an appeal to actively examine alternatives to big dams.

Decorated with various awards such as the Magsaysay award in 1985, the Damien Dutton award (the highest award in the field of leprosy) in 1983 and the International Gandhi Peace Prize, Baba Amte believed that the example of Gandhi will find followers in the coming generation. The efforts of Baba Amte are not lost voices in the deep either.

The Prime Minister condoled the death, describing Amte as "a Gandhian of our times".

Courtesy: Times of India, Indian Express, Business Standard

“WORLD PEACE CONGRESS - 2008”, World Peace Centre, MAEER’s MIT, Pune

MAEER’s MIT, Pune, India celebrated its “Silver Jubilee Year” during 2007-08 in commemoration of the 60th Death Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi/Martyr’s Day, from Wednesday, the 30th January 2008 to Saturday, the 2nd February 2008. Apart from the various activities planned during the year this World Peace Congress-2008 was high on agenda.

Tthe World Peace Congress-2008 focused its deliberations on the following themes:
S.No. 124, Paud Road, Kothrud, Pune - 411038, M.S. (India)
Tel: +91-020-25432767 / 25432767, Fax: +91-020-25442770, Web: www.wpc-pune.co.in, Email: wpc@wpc-pune.co.in “Role of Youth in Promoting the ‘Culture of Peace’ in the World”
Under this main theme, the following sub-themes were extensively discussed and debated through presentations and interactive sessions.

1) The Need for Youth to play a more Proactive Role in Promoting World Peace through Participation in Social Resurrection, Politics and Governance.
2) Promotion of Cultural Diversity, Interfaith and Inter-Religious Dialogue.
3) Promotion of Human Rights, Social Justice and Equality.
4) Combating terrorism and practicing non-violence as tools to Promote ‘Culture of Peace’.
5) Promote Value Based Universal Education and Training System for Sustainable Development to attain World Peace.

On this occasion, well-known scientists, thinkers, philosophers, educationists, academicians, spiritual leaders and socially committed personnel along with youth activists participated in the deliberations of this specially organized “World Peace Congress - 2008.”

Bernie Meyer, the American Gandhi attended the inaugural function and delivered his message asking the 1000 youth present to choose to become satyagrahis.

SEMINAR on Human Rights Pune

A Seminar on Human Rights was held on 26th January 2008 (Saturday), 3.00pm to 6.00pm at the Manuski Centre, Yerawada Pune. It was conducted by Prof. Howard Tolley, Jr.
University of Cincinnati, Department of Political Science, College of Law.

"Howard Tolley, Jr. is professor of political science and adjunct professor of law at the University of Cincinnati. After earning a PhD at Columbia University, he published Children and War while a faculty member at Wilberforce University. After earning a JD at the University of Cincinnati College of Law as a fellow in the Morgan Institute for Human Rights, he was a senior law clerk to Judge George Edwards of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. His major publications include The U.N. Commission on Human Rights (Westview, 1987) and The International Commission of Jurists (U. of Pa. Press, 1994). His Teaching Human Rights On-line Project
http://homepages.uc.edu/thro was recognized as the best political science website for 2001 by the APSA.
During his visit professor Tolley aslo conducted a teaching workshop for faculty at the University of Mumbai on U.S. government and NGO interventions against sex trafficking in India."

Delia Maria attended the Pune seminar.

SEMINAR- CUM- PANEL DISCUSSION Gandhiji on Village Swaraj (Gram Swaraj) 30th Jan 2008

National Women’s Organization, Pune, in collaboration with Gandhi National Memorial Society, Pune, like in the previous years, organizied a one-day seminar cum panel discussion on the topic “Gandhiji on Village Swaraj” at Gandhi National Memorial, Agakhan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune on 30th January 2008 to pay tribute to our beloved Bapuji on the occasion of his 60th death anniversary.

Gandhi National Memorial Society, Agakhan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune is a living memorial to Mahatma Gandhi: his wife Smt. Kasturaba Gandhi, Personal Secretary Shri Mahadev Desai, Secretary Shri Pyarelal and many other persons like Mira Ben, Sarojini Naidu, Dr.Sushila Nayar, etc. were interned here by the British Government during ‘QUIT INDIA’ movement of 1942.

Gandhi’s alternative to modern western form of development is his Village Swaraj, a non-violent form of development based on retelling the basic values of all great religions in the contemporary contest. The prophets and seers of all great religions would certainly support his alternative to the modern western form of development, which is the surest and perhaps the only solution to our impending catastrophic Global Ecological Crises. Contrary to the widely accepted belief, Gandhiji is not against machinery or development per se. He is certainly not against pursuit of study or research in human or natural sciences or against the use of machinery for development within the limits of ethics.

Among the speakers were, Smt Rama Rauta, Convener of the Seminar, President, National Women’s Organization, Pune. Dr. Narendra Jadav, Vice Chancellor, University of Pune , Shri Anna Hazare, Veteran Gandhian Social Worker, Smt Shobhana Tai Ranade, Trustee Secretary, Gandhi National Memorial Society, Pune, Prof. S. Tripathy, Pro Vice chancellor, Sulabh International Social Services Academics, New Delhi, Dr Babulal Joshph, Director, National Institute of Naturopathy, Pune, Dr. Kumar Saptrishi, Director, Maharashtra Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Pune, Dr. Ravindra Nishal, Director, Nisargopchar Gram Sudhar Trust, Urlikanchan, Pune

Mr Jeff Knaeble, spoke on behalf of the Friends of Gandhi Museum who was among one of the hosts of the seminar.

DEMOCRACY FESTIVAL IN PUNE 26-30 Jan 2008

To promote a spirit of genuine democracy among people, especially students and youth, LOKAYAT, along with other activist groups and NGOs of Pune, formed a LOKASHAHI UTSAV SAMITI and organized a five-day democracy festival in Pune.

In our society, democracy has come to mean that the masses have only one small right of electing members of Parliament; after that they become slaves of the very policians they have elected. And so we have launched an effort to promote a spirit of genuine democracy among the people, a spirit wherein people are confident and bold, wherein they are willing to speak out fearlessly, wherein they believe that they are the true rulers of society and must actively participate in decision-making. A truly democratic society is the condition for the fullness of life. Only in such a society will human beings become truly humane, and creativity, spirituality, individual and collective achievements attain glory and grandeur.

To promote a spirit of democracy amongst people, a spirit of dialogue and cooperation amongst communities, Lokshahi Utsav organizing committee held a DEMOCRACY FESTIVAL in Pune. And inaugurated this festival on January 26, 2008, the day we gave to ourselves the Constitution of India; we concluded this festival on January 30, the day the religious right murdered Gandhiji.

Cultural programs, seminars, inter-college debate and song competitions and plays were organized as a part of this five day festival. The highlight of the festival was the WALK FOR DEMOCRACY, in which students, citizens, activists from the city walked from S M Joshi Auditorium to Shaniwarwada in a unique WALK to promote Democracy, carrying placards, posters, banners, and singing songs, promoting the spirit of DEMOCRACY AND PEOPLES’ PARTICIPATION in society.

Some renowned cultural artists and activists of the country participated in this festival. Among the prominent artists were MALLIKA SARABHAI, the renowned dancer-activist from Ahmedabad, GAUHAR RAZA, the accomplished Urdu poet, film maker and social activist from Delhi; RAKESH SHARMA, the internationally acclaimed film maker and director of the fiery film FINAL SOLUTION from Mumbai; and USTAD SAJJAD HUSSAIN KHAN, the well-known classical musician from Mumbai. In addition, the IPTA troupe from Mumbai also performed a play at the festival.

Friends of the Gandhi Museum also participated by putting up an exhibition at Shaniwar wada and distributing booklets titled “What kind of India shall we give our children” by Yousuf Saeed.

CYDA’s HEALTH and YOUNG PEOPLE year long programmes in Pune

The coming year is very precious to CYDA as we are entering to TEN years of its existence. Our Achievements are: we could reach to over 1.5 lakh youth in Maharashtra, trained over 15000 young people, and provided facilitates like counseling, job opportunities and education support to over 1000 youth.

As part of our 10th year celebration we are planning to organize a yearlong program with a special focus on HEALTH and YOUNG PEOPLE. We strongly feel that due to climate change, changing life styles, eroding personal values, health related issues are going to be the biggest threat to young people’s lives and in-turn affecting socio-economic and political well being of the country.

We seek your collaboration, support and solidarity to celebrate the year 2008 based on the theme: HEALTH. We are planning panel discussions, talks, seminars, and conferences finally culminating in Health Melawa in January 2009. The themes include, mental health, healthy relationships, climate change and health, sexual and reproductive health, Health of Girl Child etc.

Mathew Mattam
CYDA