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On Oct. 21, Arun Gandhi, grandson of legendary peace advocate
and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi, delivered a lecture
in the Hogan Center Ballroom; the event was sponsored by
the student group I.N.D.I.A. (Individuals of All Nations
Developing Indian Appreciation). Gandhi spoke about the influence
of his grandfather, his personal views on nonviolence and
the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, which he founded
with his wife, Sunanda, in 1991. After the lecture, he signed
copies of his books.
Born in Durban, South Africa, in 1934, Gandhi grew up under
discriminatory apartheid laws. As a person of Indian heritage,
he suffered racial confrontations with both blacks and whites.
Fearing violence, his parents sent him to stay with his grandfather
in India when he was 12 years old. His time in India proved
both dangerous and exciting, as the country was in the midst
of a revolution to gain independence from British rule. However,
the 18-month stay transformed his life and shaped the foundation
of his work as a powerful advocate for nonviolence.
After leading several successful projects for social and
economic reform in India, Gandhi came to the United States,
where he founded the Institute he runs with his wife. Dedicated
to fostering an understanding of nonviolence and to putting
that philosophy to practical use, the organization sponsors
workshops, lectures and community outreach programs.
A former journalist at The Times of
India, where he worked
for 30 years, Gandhi is the author of several books, including A
Patch of White, about life in South Africa; M.K.
Gandhi’s
Wit & Wisdom; and most recently, The
Forgotten Woman: The Untold Story of Kastur, the Wife of
Mahatma Gandhi, which
he wrote with his wife.
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