U.G.C. CENTRE FOR GANDHIAN STUDIES

 

           

 

            Gandhian thought, ideology, theories and philosophy are central to the conception and the development of modern India and have influenced social, political and economic beliefs and movements all over the world.  Several centres for the dissemination of Gandhian ideas and for the study of Gandhi’s own socio-political views have been established in India and abroad.  However, these do not always examine or take into account cultural representations of Gandhian thought, which have as their basis popular interpretations of Gandhism and thus form an essential part of any analysis of the relevance of his message to the world.  Nor do they necessarily explore the ways in which Gandhian ideology can be used to transform lives and institutions in a globalized civil society and knowledge economy.  The interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary Centre for Gandhian Studies at Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya focuses on these two areas, and thus fills in a yawning gap in Gandhian Studies today.

The Centre was sanctioned by the University Grants Commission on 23 March 2006 and has been functional from the academic session 2006-2007 onwards.  The Director of the Centre is Prof. Urbashi Barat, Head, Dept of P.G. Studies & Research in English, and the Joint Director is Dr Shubhada Pandey, Managing Secretary, Shiksha Mandal, M. P. Shakha, Jabalpur, and G. S. College, Jabalpur.

 

Aims and Objectives

The Centre for Gandhian Studies at Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya has the following aims and objectives:

  • Examination and re-evaluation of the contemporary relevance of Gandhian thought.  Here a comparison will be made with the socio-political ideas of Ambedkar.
  • Re-examination of the concept of the nation and nationalism in Gandhian thought, particularly in comparison with Tagore.
  • The application of Gandhism in the empowerment of women, in higher education (in the context of the development of a knowledge economy, continuing glocalization, and vocationalization of education), in protest movements, and in personality development and management courses.
  • Reinterpretation of Gandhian literature.

 

Programmes and Activities

      The inaugural session of the Centre for Gandhian Studies was held on Friday, 6 July 2007, with Hon’ble Mr Justice C. S. Dharmadhikari, Padma Bhushan, as the Chief Guest.  The Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Dr S. M. Paul Khurana, will preside.

 

Forthcoming (September-October 2007):

Film festival on Gandhiji, lectures on Gandhiji,  exhibition on Gandhiji (with the help of the DEO, Govt of M.P., Jabalpur)

 

Future plans:

      The Centre will disseminate and help people to understand Gandhian concepts related to social justice, equality, conflict resolution, protest movements, rural development, the empowerment of women, etc.

·        The Centre will set up a library for teachers, students and staff of the library as well as for scholars and other readers, so that more and more people become acquainted with the thoughts of Gandhi, Ambedkar and Tagore.  This library will include not just the books by or on Gandhiji already with the Central Library but also the latest books, journals, CDs and DVDs dealing with Gandhi and Gandhian thought.

·        The Centre will prepare modules of short-term courses (of approximately one week's duration) in Gandhism for the orientation of all University staff and students.

·        The Centre proposes to conduct part-time Diploma courses of about 6 months each for students/teachers of the University, NGOs, corporate executives and Government officials, so that Gandhian ideas can be profitably put into practice into everyday life and situations. These courses will be based on the Diploma Course in Gandhian Thought conducted by the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha, Maharashtra (Appendix III)

·        The Centre will provide teaching support to University Teaching Departments by introducing or assisting in existing courses or papers in the Departments of Hindi, English, Political Science, Philosophy, History, Education and Management.  Such papers/Units already exist in the English and Philosophy Master’s courses, but there is a need to formulate these as per requirements in the Education and Management courses.

·                      The Centre will conduct research/studies in the thoughts and programmes of Gandhiji, with particular stress on the following areas:

(1)      The contemporary relevance of Gandhian thought in (a) conflict resolution; (b) empowerment of women; and (c) non-violent protest.

(2)      Examination of contemporary interpretations of Gandhiji and Gandhism, in political and social commentary as well as in literary, dramatic and cinematic representations.

(3)      Gandhism in the formation of the nation, and the notion of the nation.