Quest for Gandhi’s non-violence brings 13 foreigners to Gujarat Vidyapith

In all, 80 students from 16 countries have enrolled for the course since 2011. Last year, after a gap of two years following the Covid-19 pandemic, the course had resumed with 11 students, among whom one had left midway.

The dean, Prof Prem Anand Mishra, told The Indian Express, “With 15 students, the course witnessed the maximum number of students in 2017-18… but then the students did not come from such diverse backgrounds. This is the first time that so many countries have been represented. Students from a maximum of five countries had been registered in the past… Also, this batch has a majority of young students.”

While three students are from Mexico, two each are from France, Russia and Mauritius as well as one student each from Spain, Venezuela, Nepal and Germany.

As the title of the course suggests, its overall purpose is to give students an orientation in theoretical and practical dimensions of non-violence as explained and applied by Gandhi in his personal and public life, Prof Mishra said.

“There is a growing interest worldwide, particularly in the West, about Gandhi and his practice of non-violence. Many had expressed their desire to get formal training in Gandhian non-violence in India… Keeping this in mind, the Gujarat Vidyapith started this international course in 2011,” he added.

Kutishcheva Sofya Sergeevna (20) from Moscow, who attends classes clad in khadi along with other students, said: “I have a mix of Russian and Jewish roots. Since childhood, I wanted to know why Jews were always under pressure… Christianity is mostly (followed) in Europe and Jesus Christ was a Jew. As a child I didn’t understand why Europeans hated Jews.”

Sergeevna added, “In school, we were mostly (taught) about Russia but I had a few lessons on India and only remember Gandhi… now, I am studying religions and when we speak about history of India, we need to discuss Gandhi. We are the first ones from Russia to come here for this course.”

Like Sofya, Seymara Liscano from Venezuela, too, is in search of peace. “I had lost hope on following the path of non-violence. My country is going through a transition and I came here to reconcile with the theory of non-violence. One of the friends recommended this course to me… which I feel will transform (me)… (help) learn from the experiences, to live like Gandhi, to adopt non-violence in life.”

Renuka Singh (46) from Nepal said, “I have seen a lot of violence and discrimination towards children and women. When I learnt about this course, I was interested… to explore how we can implement non-violence in my country.”

“The course will help me further implement theories of

non-violence, as I plan to do research on Gandhi,” Mootoosawmy Kaleyvaru (21) from Mauritius said.

Classes for the four-month course started on October 2 and will continue till January 30, next year. The course has been divided into two months each of practical and theory.

The 13 students are staying in the international hostel on a twin-sharing basis on the Vidyapith campus.

For their food, a special kitchen has been set up where they can get food of their choice as well as cook. The students have been told to avoid food from outside.

The university has also selected practical sessions for them, including visit to Gandhian institutes like Gandhi Research Foundation in Jalgaon, Sampoorna Kranti Vidyalaya in Vedchi and Lok Bharati Gramvidyapith Sanosara in Bhavnagar.

“We have realised that these students are more interested in the charkha than our other university students,” Prof Mishra said.