Mahatma Gandhi’s Ashram to be revived

The Gandhi Ashram at Kingsway Camp, Delhi, established by the Mahatma to oppose untouchability and to promote communal harmony, is a very important heritage site where Gandhiji lived and worked whenever he was in Delhi from 1932 to 1947. It became an important centre for the Gandhi program both because of Gandhi’s long periods of stay in the capital and also because of his
close ties to the industrialist Birla family. The twenty-acre ashram is a very important heritage site that has fallen into disrepair due to years of neglect and needs serious attention in order to restore this site.

Gandhi Ashram Reconstruction Trust organized a Seminar on 3rd November 2005 to announce the plan to reconstruct the 20-acre campus of Harijan Sevak Sangh at Kingsway Camp and convert it into Global Peace Centre at Kingsway Camp, New Delhi. The daylong seminar focused on the Relevance of Gandhi in Today’s World, especially in context with the younger generation of the youth today. While delivering the inaugural lecture, Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Hon. Minister of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Panchayati Raj stressed on the need to reconstruct the Ashram in a manner that reflects the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi. He added that it is very important to keep Gandhi Ashram alive in people’s mind so that more and more people get attracted to it.


In her remarks, Delhi Chief Minister Mrs. Sheila Dixit stressed the need to lead a simple life. “Whenever we think about Gandhiji his simplicity comes to mind, simplicity not only in thoughts but also in expressions and the way he leaded his life. It is important to take a lesson from his life and become better human beings.”

While detailing the plan to reconstruct the ashram, Dr. Nirmala Deshpande, veteran Gandhian and President, Gandhi Ashram Reconstruction Trust said that the International Peace Centre will be established with teaching, conference and retreat facilities for propagating human values of nonviolence, interfaith harmony and peace. The proposed Centre will provide facilities and guidance to individuals and groups who wish a quiet place for reflection and meditation.


In his keynote address, Mr. Pawan Gupta delved upon the subject of Gandhian values and their relevance in today’s India. He observed that in a country like India it is important to look forward to Gandhian values, be it today or 20 years from now, keeping in mind that the Gandhiji’s path is most appropriate for our country.

Mr. Vivek Sharma, Managing Trustee of the Ashram said that he is privileged to be associated with the vision of Nirmalaji in this very important task of recreating the values revered by the Father of the Nation Mahtama Gandhi. “What we are trying to focus here is not only creating the Gandhi Gobal Peace Centre, but also to get younger people involved in three very important concepts of Gandhiji, namely: Sarvodaya, Ahimsa and dignity of labour,” said Mr. Sharma.

Finally, Shri.Vishvjit thanked all the speakers and sponsors including Smt Shobhana Bhartiya whose Grandfather, Shri G.D.Birla, helped the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhiji in setting up this Ashram, The Hindu University of America and especially Shri Braham Ratna, Shri Pavan Gupta, Sarvodaya Worker and modern Gandhian, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, the Gas Authority of India and other entities of the Oil Industry who have all promised to support this noble venture, Honourable Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt Shiela Dixit who ensured support from the local bodies to get this project off the ground and lastly and most important Honourable Central Minister for Petroleum, Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar.

 

Shri Pawan Gupta	Shri Raman Bhatia Advisor to the Trust,	Shri Vivek Sharma Managing Trustee of the Trust	Shri Vishvjit .P. Singh, Advisor to the Trust,

The press conference organized at the seminar was a huge success. Several newspapers & television channels reported
the issue at length.
 

This is what some of the newspapers had to say the following day:
“…the ignorance would change, if Gandhi Ashram Reconstruction had its way”- The Times of India, New Delhi & Mumbai, Nov 04, 2005
“Reconstructing a legacy”-The Hindu, November 10, 2005
“New look for Gandhi Ashram”-Hindustan Times, November 04, 2005
“The 20 acre ashram will now be resurrected into a Gandhi Global Centre for Peace that aims to revive the dying legacy of the Mahatma.”- The Asian Age

The renovated Delhi ashram will focus on Gandhi’s three important ideas: 1) his doctrine of sarvodya that promotes social justice; 2) his commitment to social change and conflict resolution through Ahimsa (peace); and 3) his emphasis on dignity of labour. These three ideas have been incorporated into the programmatic segments that the Kingsway Camp Ashram proposes to build: 1) Education and Cultural Segment; 2) International Peace and Conflict Resolution Segment; and 3) Individual Entrepreneurial Segment. Gandhi Ashram Reconstruction Trust is a unique experiment in reviving the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and help in reconstructing Gandhian institutions to be self-sustaining with the larger view of preserving the ideals of the Mahatma. Its goal is to create such a vision for our youth by building an International Peace Center with teaching, conference and retreat facilities for propagating Human Values of non-violence, interfaith harmony and peace.

Reconstructing Gandhi Ashram is an enormous task and the Trust needs support from every section of the society. It aims to do this without competing with established religious institutions. With Recoures to be raised from both domestic and overseas donors the activities proposed and planned could be carried out in the set time frame, i.e. 3 years.

The proposed layout talks about several blocks including administration building, school and adult learning centre/ laboratories/ hobby room/ teachers’ lounge/play field/computer room, guesthouse for resident scholars, recycling centre, commercial wing with shops/ restaurants/Internet centre/recycling centre/book store, prayer hall, museum/library/ art gallery, amphitheatre, support facilities: i.e. grounds keeping and physical plant operations. An intense study is also being made to define how non-violent buildings could to be built in this campus.

Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar at the museum
 

Morning session with Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar Afternoon session with Smt. Sheila Dixit