Great men are those who have selflessly tried and solved the problems faced by a mass of people. The field of work, basic principles, approach and methodology adopted by these persons may differ vastly; but what shows them in special light is the spirit of public service they have displayed in their life-time.
We cherish the memory of these great men not only in appreciation of what they did to the humankind but also as a source of inspiration and guidance.
There have been religious teachers, philosophers, political leaders, philanthropists, soldiers and scholars who have served the people in their own fields. Those who have served relentlessly and selflessly, and contributed to the betterment of life for their people are regarded great men.
Though such men are directly related to a country or a particular part of the world, their noble service elevates them to such a high level that they are respected all over the world. Their narrow affiliations to a section of the people or to a part of the world disappear and they become global celebrities. People from distant countries accept them as their masters and willingly follow them with confidence.
Throughout the world persons like Thiruvalluvar, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Adi Sankara, Abraham Lincoln, David Livingstone, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Mother Therasa are remembered and respected. The countries of their origin are proud for having given such great men to the humankind. Their ideas continue to be of universal relevance transcending even passage of time.
Such a great man was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, later known as Mahatma Gandhi, born at Borbandar (India) on October 2, 1869. During the first half of the twentieth century the world witnessed this simple man guiding Indian people on the path of non-violence towards their political freedom from the yoke of the British rulers. He did not have great battalions of soldiers for fighting the British government. He showed to the world by personal example that Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satyam (Truthfulness) are more powerful than any vast and powerful army. He made use of Satyagraha (non-violent resistance) to fight the foreign rulers, without an iota of hatred towards them. The entire world was observing his political fight, first skeptically, then with disbelief, then with surprise, then with wonderment and then with boundless admiration and respect. Even his political opponents did not fail to notice the abundance of his love, sincerity, respect for all religions, spirit of public service and sacrifice and above all unlimited courage to face any challenge without compromising his basic principles.
Mahatma Gandhi had millions of admirers in India and abroad. He had proved beyond doubt that the politics need not be cut-throat and violent; he had shown by personal example that the politics should be selfless and value-based. Unlike many third rate politicians of his times (and even the present times), he did not adopt the tactics of promoting hatred to gain leadership. He did not divide the people. He highlighted the common bonds among them and united them by inculcating great values of life like Ahimsa and Satya. In the midst of the so-called political leaders who incited one section of the people against another and gained leadership on the strength of cheap emotions and credulousness of the ignorant people, Mahatma Gandhi educated the people on the need to adhere to mutual love and respect; and led them on the right lines.
Among the many persons inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, one notable leader was Martin Luther King Jr, the great civil rights leader of United States of America. He visited India in 1959 mainly to show his respect to Mahatma Gandhi whom he had accepted as his role model and to know more about him.*
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s visit to India, the United States House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution on February 11, 2009 recognizing the influence of Mahatma Gandhi on Martin Luther King Jr. The Congressman John Lewis introduced the resolution; five other lawmakers viz. John Conyers, Jim McDermott, Robert C Scott, Henry Johnson and Adam B Schiff co-sponsored the resolution. The resolution urged all Americans to commemorate King's trip to India in 1959 to know more about Mahatma Gandhi and the influence his study of Gandhian philosophy had in shaping the US Civil Rights Movement, in creating political climate necessary to pass legislation to expand civil rights and voting rights for all Americans. The resolution records that the great American leader was tremendously influenced by the non-violence philosophy of Gandhi and that he successfully used this in the struggle for civil rights and voting rights.
Sourcehttp://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20090211/365/twl-us-house-passes-resolution-on-gandhi.html* An essay on Martin Luther King Jr has appeared in the February 2008 issue of Dynamic Youth.
We cherish the memory of these great men not only in appreciation of what they did to the humankind but also as a source of inspiration and guidance.
There have been religious teachers, philosophers, political leaders, philanthropists, soldiers and scholars who have served the people in their own fields. Those who have served relentlessly and selflessly, and contributed to the betterment of life for their people are regarded great men.
Though such men are directly related to a country or a particular part of the world, their noble service elevates them to such a high level that they are respected all over the world. Their narrow affiliations to a section of the people or to a part of the world disappear and they become global celebrities. People from distant countries accept them as their masters and willingly follow them with confidence.
Throughout the world persons like Thiruvalluvar, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Adi Sankara, Abraham Lincoln, David Livingstone, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Mother Therasa are remembered and respected. The countries of their origin are proud for having given such great men to the humankind. Their ideas continue to be of universal relevance transcending even passage of time.
Such a great man was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, later known as Mahatma Gandhi, born at Borbandar (India) on October 2, 1869. During the first half of the twentieth century the world witnessed this simple man guiding Indian people on the path of non-violence towards their political freedom from the yoke of the British rulers. He did not have great battalions of soldiers for fighting the British government. He showed to the world by personal example that Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satyam (Truthfulness) are more powerful than any vast and powerful army. He made use of Satyagraha (non-violent resistance) to fight the foreign rulers, without an iota of hatred towards them. The entire world was observing his political fight, first skeptically, then with disbelief, then with surprise, then with wonderment and then with boundless admiration and respect. Even his political opponents did not fail to notice the abundance of his love, sincerity, respect for all religions, spirit of public service and sacrifice and above all unlimited courage to face any challenge without compromising his basic principles.
Mahatma Gandhi had millions of admirers in India and abroad. He had proved beyond doubt that the politics need not be cut-throat and violent; he had shown by personal example that the politics should be selfless and value-based. Unlike many third rate politicians of his times (and even the present times), he did not adopt the tactics of promoting hatred to gain leadership. He did not divide the people. He highlighted the common bonds among them and united them by inculcating great values of life like Ahimsa and Satya. In the midst of the so-called political leaders who incited one section of the people against another and gained leadership on the strength of cheap emotions and credulousness of the ignorant people, Mahatma Gandhi educated the people on the need to adhere to mutual love and respect; and led them on the right lines.
Among the many persons inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, one notable leader was Martin Luther King Jr, the great civil rights leader of United States of America. He visited India in 1959 mainly to show his respect to Mahatma Gandhi whom he had accepted as his role model and to know more about him.*
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s visit to India, the United States House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution on February 11, 2009 recognizing the influence of Mahatma Gandhi on Martin Luther King Jr. The Congressman John Lewis introduced the resolution; five other lawmakers viz. John Conyers, Jim McDermott, Robert C Scott, Henry Johnson and Adam B Schiff co-sponsored the resolution. The resolution urged all Americans to commemorate King's trip to India in 1959 to know more about Mahatma Gandhi and the influence his study of Gandhian philosophy had in shaping the US Civil Rights Movement, in creating political climate necessary to pass legislation to expand civil rights and voting rights for all Americans. The resolution records that the great American leader was tremendously influenced by the non-violence philosophy of Gandhi and that he successfully used this in the struggle for civil rights and voting rights.
Sourcehttp://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20090211/365/twl-us-house-passes-resolution-on-gandhi.html* An essay on Martin Luther King Jr has appeared in the February 2008 issue of Dynamic Youth.
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