Walking 40,000 km for peace

DHARAMSALA, Aug 18: Contrary to the materialistic values of this age, his only goal is to spread the message of peace, friendship and bro...

DHARAMSALA, Aug 18: Contrary to the materialistic values of this age, his only goal is to spread the message of peace, friendship and brotherhood. And for this, he has left behind his brilliant academic career at the Aligarh Mulsim University, his wife and kids.

Inder Mohna Gupta, a 39-year-old resident of Uttar Pradesh started a circuitous journey on foot in 1987 and has traversed a distance of more than 40,000 km covering more than 170 districts of northern and central India. His sole motive is motivating the masses to lead a peaceful life.

“I was moved by two major incidents of social hatred and conflict in my life. The Sikh riots of 1984 and the Meerut communal tension and riots of 1987. This left a lasting impact on my mind, so much so that I dropped my Ph D studies in Hindi midway and started on this peace mission,” Gupta says. He adds that his yatra’ would last 31 years.

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On his peace march across Kangra district of Himachal recently, Gupta told ENS that he had been organising small seminars in all the towns he passes with the help of the district authorities and young people with the aim of spreading the message of peace. Gupta travels back to his family whenever he feels homesick, by bus and comes back to the same point to begin again on foot. A little kit dangling from his shoulder, his sole property, is what he carries along while on the peace march. He manages food and lodging with the help of locals.

“It might come as a surprise, but it is a reality that all people I have met en route are craving for peace,” he says.