The “Joy of Reading Festival”, Roing, Arunachal Pradesh organized from November 4-8, 2019 by the Lower Dibang Valley District Administration of Arunachal Pradesh in collaboration with Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti and the ICDS Department as part of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi saw a huge response from the participants, both young and old. It was inaugurated on November 4, 2019 by eminent educationist and ‘grandmother of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) in India', Prof Vimala Ramachandran.
The weeklong festival which highlighted the themes ‘Joy of Reading’ and ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ included lectures and interactions by Prof Vimala Ramachandran and eminent Gandhian scholar from Assam, Dr Alaka Sarma as well as a range of book activities, contests and book exhibitions. On special display was the Mahatma Gandhi’s biography in five Arunachal languages Adi, Apatani, Mishmi, Nyishi and Nocte by Tulika Books.
The weeklong festival concluded on November 8, 2019, leaving behind warm and rich memories for book lovers of all age groups.
Speaking at INV Roing, Prof Vimala Ramachandran shared her vast experiences of educational innovations arross India and South East Asia, and elaborated on the little known GOI document on “Positive Discipline’, which is today adopted by many reputed schools. At KGBV Dambuk, she outlined the origin of KGBV schools in India.
Describing the sterling contribution of the Mahila Shiksha Kendras in... Read More

The first in the series was organized on September 14-16, 2019 at Nagda, Madhya Pradesh. 172 participants took part in the programme. The programme was inaugurated by Sri Dilip Singh Gurzar (M. L. A) Khachroud , Nagda. On September 14, Discussion on Gandhiji life and his concepts – ‘Trusteeship’ was organized. This was followed by the discussion on Sri Thengadiji’s life and his concept ‘Labourisation’ on September 15 Sri Anil Sirodia, hon’ble Member of Parliament was the chief guest. On September 16, group presentations and evaluations of the seminar was organized. Sri Sultan Singh Shekhawat addressed the gathering.

165 persons took part in the programme. In this Programme a public meeting was organized on November 15, 2019 at Mochi Mahal Morh, Barrackpore Sadar Bazar, Barrackpore. Sri Gupteshwar Barnwal, a retired senior teacher presided over the meeting. Sri Sunil Munshi, Gandhian Leader and Ex. Director of Gandhi Sangrahalaya, Barrackpore; Maharaj Nitya Rupananda Swami, Ramkrishna Vivekananda Mission; Sri Baij Nath Rai, Managing Trustee, Uthaan Foundation; Sri Manoj Saha, Secretary, Barrackpore Trader Association; Sri Narendra Bhagat, a renowned social worker and Dr. Pranab Chandra Chand, Well known Doctor took part in the programme discussing the vision of both Shri D B Thengadi and Mahatma Gandhi. The second day programme was presided over by Sri Hari Das Bhagat and Oldest and Renowned Social Worker of the Locality. Question and answer session was also organized on the occasion.

A three-day brainstorming session on “Nai Talim and Basic Education” of Mahatma Gandhi was organized from November 21-23, 2019 in Vrindavan basic school The programme was organised in association with the Center for Innovation in Public Systems (CIPS), Patna.
The program was inaugurated by Chief Guest Prof. Upendra Reddy from the Center for Innovation in Public System; former DEO, Shri Lal Babu Mishra, Shri Dipankar Shri Gyan, Director, GSDS and other guests.
In this program, a detailed discussion on Mahatma Gandhi's ‘Nai Talim and Basic Education’ system was held for two days in which about 100 participants took part in which, including former and current headmen, principals of basic schools, District Education Officers, senior educationists of the area were present. Teachers working in the basic schools were also present.
Discussions on how to convert basic schools into model schools so that the children could be connected with the basic education of Gandhiji along with the current pattern of education were held. All present gave their suggestions on this subject.
Further, a meeting was held on November 23 at Bihar Vidyapeeth, Sadaqat Ashram, Patna to consider and implement these suggestions. Representative of both GSDS and CIPS were present. Director GSDS was also present on the occasion.

A half-day training session on nonviolent communication was organized for students of Arcade Business School, Patna, Bihar by the Samiti. The Samiti’s Programme Officer, Dr Vedabhyas Kundu conducted the programme.
Another a half-day training session on ‘nonviolent communication’ was organized for students of Indian School of Business, Patna, Bihar by the Samiti. The Samiti’s Programme Officer, Dr Vedabhyas Kundu conducted the programme.

The Samiti organised the prize distribution ceremony of the Hindi Pakhwara on November 27, 2019 in Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat. Shri Ved Prakash Gaur, Director, Rajbhasha, Ministry of Culture who was the chief guest on the occasion distributed the prizes to the winners of the Hindi Pakhwara that was organised by the GSDS in September 2019.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ved Prakash Gaur expressed his happiness that the GSDS is taking initiatives towards promotion and use of Hindi language in daily functioning in the office. He said that information about such efforts should be sent to the Ministry of Culture and also due publicity should be made so that information is generated. Director GSDS, Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan was also present on the occasion.
Participants who received their prizes also narrated poems on the occasion. Prizes were awarded in different categories which are as under:
1. Essay Writing – Group A
a. Ram Singh Chauhan – First Prize
b. Vijay Kumar – Second Prize
c. Dharamraj Kumar – Third Prize
d. Ms. Sashiprabha, Ms. Shakuntala and Ms. Renu – Consolation Prizes
2. Essay Writing – Group B
a. Shri Rakesh Sharma – First Prize
b. Shri Sunil Kumar – Second Prize
c. Shri Manish – Third Prize
d. Ms. Ruby Tiwari, Shri Rohit Kumar, Ms Suman Narang – Consolation Prizes
3. Poetry Writing – Group A
a. Shri Dharamraj Kumar – First Prize
b. Shri Vijay Kumar – Second Prize
c.... Read More

Ms. Tolstaya Ekaterina, Mr. Andrey Tolstoy, great-great grandson of Leo Tolstoy descendents of Leo Tolstoy from the Museum Estate – Leo Tolstoy Museum in Russia “Yasnaya Polyana” along with a nine member delegation visited Gandhi Darshan on November 20, 2019. The delegation was welcomed by Shri Laxmi Dass, EC Member of GSDS. A tour was also conducted in Gandhi Darshan in the pavilion “My Life is My Message.”

A similar programme in this series was organized cultural programme – “Music for Peace” in collaboration with the Embassy of Guatemala to India at Gandhi Smriti on November 18, 2019. Almost 100 participants took part in the programme that included students of Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan’s Mehta Vidyalaya. The dignitaries of the function included His Excellency Mr. Giovanni René Castillo, the Guatemalan Ambassador to India, Mr. Esmaylin Thomas Daniel Gómez, the First Secretary and Consul, and Dr. Anju Tandon, Principal of Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan’s Mehta Vidyalaya. Wife of the Ambassador of Guatemala Madam Leslie Castillo was also present on the occasion.
His Excellency acknowledged the whole idea of the program with great importance as it celebrated in accord with the three great events – 21st October as Revolution of 1944 of Guatemala, 13th November on which the Guatemalan Civil War started against the leftists, and 16th November as an International Day for Tolerance. He encouraged the people to materialize the values of peace, self-respect, and social justice by quoting one of the Mahatma’s sayings, “An eye for an eye only ends up in making the whole world blind”. As an ambassador of Guatemala, the Excellency talked about the importance of dialogue between people to maintain peace and avoid genocides that took thousands of lives leaving behind grief. The video exhibited by the Secretary on the occasion explained the series of actions that took place in Guatemala to... Read More

The retired staff of the Samiti joined in a celebration of the 50 years of the establishment of Gandhi Darshan on November 16, 2019 in Gandhi Darshan. The programme entitled Gandhi Darshan Milan Samaroh witnessed experience sharing of the birth centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi. They also sang the favourite bhajans of Mahatma Gandhi and Ram Dhun. Smt. Hena Chakraborty, Smt. Shobha Girdhar, Smt. Shashwati Jhalani, Shri Brij Narain, Shri Shivnandan, Smt. Prabha Kawde, Shri Hari Singh, Shri Ram Janam Ram, Dr. Sita Ojha, Smt. Sunanda Tyagi, Smt. Krishna Samajdar, Shri Pinto, Shri Tkahur, Shri Bhasin, Smt. Gunjan, Smt. Jaya Raheja, Smt. Sharda Tyagi, Smt. Pratibha Nigam, Shri Jagdish and others were present.
Director GSDS, Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan, Administrative Officer Shri S. A. Jamal and Programme Officer, Dr. Vedabhyas Kundu joined the celebration and lighted fifty candles on the occasion.

Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi visited Gandhi Smriti with German Chancellor H.E. Dr. Angela Merkel on November 1, 2019. The Prime Minister received the German Chancellor in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi sculpted by renowned artist Padma Bhushan Shri Ram Sutar.
Explaining the significance of the place, Prime Minister informed Dr. Merkel that the Smriti is located at the site where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last few months of his life and was assassinated on January 30, 1948.
The world leaders then visited the museum and saw sketches and paintings made by renowned artist Shri Upendra Maharathi and Indo-Hungarian painter Elizabeth Brunner, a student of Shri Nandalal Bose of Santiniketan. They walked through a digital gallery curated by Shri Birad RajaramYajnik, based on the twin themes of Ahimsa and Satyagraha.
The leaders thereafter visited various digital installations in the museum including audio testimonial to Mahatma Gandhi by Albert Einstein and the interactive kiosk displaying the rendition of the song ‘Vaishnava Jana To’, sung in 107 countries an initiative of the Government of India as part of the celebrations to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Dr.Angela Merkel then paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the Martyr’s Column and offered floral tributes. A Gandhi Bust and Charkha was also presented by the hon’ble Prime Minister of India to... Read More

A special session on “Understanding Gandhi” was held in Chattisgarh Legislative Assembly for the hon’ble Members of the Vidhan Sabha on October 3, 2019 for celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Eminent Gandhian and Vice President of Harijan Sevak Sangh Shri Laxmi Dass was the main speaker on the occasion. As the Executive Member of the GSDS, Shri Laxmi Dass spoke on the “Importance of Gandhian Thought in Contemporary Society”. Hon’ble Speaker Shri Charan Das Mahant graced the occasion. A big wooden charkha was also presented by the GSDS on the occasion.
At another special programme as part of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Hon’ble Governor of Chattisgarh, Smt. Anusuiya Uikey inaugurated an exhibition on “Mohan Se Mahatma” developed by GSDS on the occasion. Shri Bhupesh Baghel, hon’ble Chief Minister of Chattisgarh and Shri Charan Das Mahant, hon’ble Speaker Chattisgarh Legislative Assembly also graced the occasion.

The East Central Railway zone of Indian Railways paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary by converting an express train to a veritable exhibition on the transformation of "Mohan to Mahatma". The “Muzaffarpur-Anand Vihar Sapt Kranti Express” chugged off from Muzaffarpur with upgraded coaches. These coaches were painted and affixed with photographs and information on various events of Gandhiji's life. This exhibition was curated by Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti and was inaugurated on October 2, 2019 by hon’ble Member of Parliament, Shri Radha Mohan Singh.
"I am thankful to the Railways for coming up with such a novel idea for paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi whose links with Champaran and Motihari are recorded in history," Hon’ble Member of Parliament Shri Radha Mohan Singh said during a function that was organised after the train reached Bapu Dham Motihari station in East Champaran district. Shri Radha Mohan Singh also flagged off the “Muzaffarpur-Anand Vihar Sapt Kranti Express”
Shri Radha Mohan Singh, who is also the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways, said the Bihar government also deserves commendation for taking up the face-lift of various spots in the state which have been associated with Gandhi.
Earlier, a cleanliness campaign/drive was organized on October 2, 2019 from Gandhi Chowk to Bapu Dham Railway Station Motihari via the Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Motihari in which almost 1000 people took part... Read More

To mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti and Doordarshan has jointly organized “Moniya se Mahatma Tak” Quiz at MyGov.in. The two target two groups were Moniya (for the age group of 16 to 30years) and Mahatma (for the age group of 50-70years), respectively. The whole event was divided into two parts viz. Preliminary Quiz at MyGov.in which was organized from August 22, 2019 to September 10,2019and further Final rounds which are recorded and currently running weekly at Doordarshan.
After three weeks of Preliminary quiz at MyGov.in, 24 participants (4 top scorers from the six zones) from the Moniya category and 24 participants (4 top scorers from the six zones) from the Mahatma Category from approximately 80,000 participants in total were selected and thence further called up to Delhi for the next rounds.
After the four day game played from September 26-29,2019, three final winners were selected which are Mr.Mukesh Nemani, Mr.Smruti Ranjan ,Mr. Praveen Kr Jha and they were awarded with the prize money of Rs. 1,00,000, Rs.75,000 and Rs.50,000, respectively by Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan, Director GSDS.
The quiz anchored by Ms. Richa Anirudh has been running on Doordarshan weekly for two months. The joint team of Doordarshan and GSDS including Dr. K. Padmavathi , Dr. Vedabhyas Kundu ,Dr. Sailaja Gullapalli, Shri Praveen Dutt Sharma , Shri Pankaj Chaubey and Ms. Kanak successfully organized the event.

As part of the celebrations to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Samiti set up an exhibition on “Mohan Se Mahatma” in The Ashok International at Chanakyapuri from September 30 to October 3, 2019. Books on and by Mahatma Gandhi and other allied subjects were displayed during this period. A Khadi stall by Srijan GSDS was another attraction of the programme. Shri Mohan and Shri Shyam Lal represented the Samiti to this book fair-cum-exhibition.

GSDS staff joined in the mood celebrating the festival of lights by decorating their respective departments with beautiful and colourful designs (rangoli). The celebration on October 25, 2019 culminated with a cultural programme coordinated by Ms. Kanak, Ms. Prerna and Ms. Mansi. Director GSDS Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan awarded the best rangoli design to Ms. Shubhangi Girdhar.

GSDS, Indialogue Foundation, Department of Philosophy, University of Delhi, Gandhi Bhawan University of Delhi as part of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi organized a two-day National Gandhi Jayanti seminar on “Gandhi and the Contemporary Issues: Old Theory, New Perspective” on October 23-24, 2019 at Gandhi Bhawan University of Delhi.
The fundamental objective of this seminar was to present the relevance of Gandhi’s ideas and to show how his ideas could be reformulated in order to fulfil the demands of the challenges posed by various contemporary issues. The seminar attempted to put forth the applicability of Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts in solving various contemporary social, political, economic and environmental issues. The seminar also brought to the fore, the contemporary issues and the relevance of the Gandhian views in dealing with those problems at one place, while trying to find out what should be reinterpreted or reformulated in his philosophy.
The inaugural session was addressed by Prof. Balaganapathi Devarakonda, Chairman, Department of Philosophy, D.U; Ambassador Shri Ashok Sajjanhar, former Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Latvia and Sweden; Prof. Ramesh Bharadwaj, Director Gandhi Bhawan, Dr. Vedabhyas Kundu, Programme Officer, GSDS and Mr. M. Behzad Fatmi, Secretary General, Indialogue Foundation.
Five technical sessions were scheduled in two days. Technical Session I and Technical Session II was on 22nd October 2019, and Technical... Read More

Sardar Patel Vidyalaya Lodhi Road, as part of Gandhi: 150 organised a special programme in their school on October 19-20, 2019. Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti took part in the programme by displaying Khadi products from Srijan GSDS and also a book exhibition on books on and by Mahatma Gandhi was set up. Ms. Soni Rai and Ms. Simran represented the Samiti.

The Samiti in association with Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini (RMP) organized the 9th Edition of the “Netritva Sadhana” in Gandhi Darshan from October 16-20, 2019 in Gandhi Darshan. 39 delegates from 15 states from diverse backgrounds such as Law, Chartered Accountancy, Engineering, Management, Social Work, Medical, Academics and Business among others took part in the residential training programme. The programme was inaugurated on October 16 by Shri Shyam Jaju, National Vice President, BJP in the presence of Shri Ravindra Sathe, Director General of RMP and Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan, Director GSDS.
The programme had 30 sessions including Model Parliament, guided tour of Photo Gallary at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat, New Delhi and screening of a play titled as “ Aao Panchayat khelen” directed by Smt. Madhumita Khan. The model parliament session was organised on October 19 in the gracious presence of Smt. Shikha Roy, as speaker. The session was moderated by Shri Amber Swami.
During the five days programme participants also had an opportunity to interact with prominent leaders like Dr Vinay Sahashrabuddhe, Shri Shyam Jaju, Shri Babul Supriyo, Smt Meenakshi Lekhi and Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi among others.
The valedictory function was graced by the presence of Dr Sanjeev Singh, Associate Professor, IIC, University of Delhi, as the chief guest. On this occasion, Dr Sumeet Bhasin, Director- PPRC, Shri Ravi Pokharna, RMP-Executive Head (Administration & Projects) and Shri... Read More

The Samiti in association with the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration organized a two-day national discussion meet on Relevance of Gandhian Educational Ideas: Implications for Policies and Practices on October 4-5, 2019.
Senior academicians and practitioners took part in the national discussion meet on how to integrate Gandhian educational ideas in education in the current and emerging socio-economic context, and their implication for revitalizing skill and rural education.
The aim was to discuss innovate practices of education and work followed in different educational institutions and identify problems and constraints faced in the implementation of basic education scheme through sharing of its institutional practices.
The different themes in which the discussions took place included: Gandhian Philosophy of education; role of Gandhi in universalisation of elementary education; alternative pedagogy and alternate schooling; implication of the Gandhian educational ideas for New Education Policy-2019, and others.

To mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, about one million student solar ambassadors from different parts of the country assembled with their ‘solar study lamps’ in a grand ceremony on October 2, 2019. The event was organized jointly by GSDS in collaboration with IIT Mumbai.
The Gandhi Global Solar Yatra (GGSY) was kick-started by Professor Chetan Singh Solanki of IIT-Bombay on Dec. 25, 2018, from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat. This year, GGSY gave more than 10 lakh students hands-on training in solar lamp assembly on October 2, which marked the culmination of this yatra. This year over 80 countries took part in this initiative.
This one-day event was conducted on the same day in nearly 180 countries especially in the countries of South Asia, Africa, and Latin America which face a lack of access to energy. According to GGSY, this event will be held on October 2 to celebrate the Gandhian principles of self-sufficiency.
The objective of the GGSY was aimed towards sensitization of over one million students towards adverse effects of climate change and making them future propagators of renewable energy and creating “Global Student Solar Ambassadors”.
On the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, over 10,000 students set the Guinness Book of World Records by "assembling and lighting" their own solar lamps as part of the Global Student Solar Assembly.
While this was a pan India movement, the schools that took part under... Read More

• United Nations Deputy Secretary General Ms. Amina J. Mohammed visited Gandhi Smriti on September 8, 2019 ad paid tributes at the Martyr’s Column. She also visited the Gandhi Smriti gallery led by Director GSDS, Shri Dipanker
Shri Gyan.
• Students from Delhi Public School Sector 45 Gurugram visited Gandhi Smriti on September 27, 2019
• Delhi Public School Faridabad visited Gandhi Darshan on September 26, 2019
• Governor of New Jersey, Mr. Phil Murphy visited Gandhi Smriti on September 15, 2019. The Governor was accompanied by a 40 member delegation including First Lady Mrs Tammy Murphy and senior dignitaries from Academia and
Private sector

About 50 teachers and students of education took part in an orientation programme to introduce Gandhian nonviolent communication in schools organized on September 26, 2019 at Sarania Ashram, Guwahati. The GSDS Programme Officer, Dr Vedabhyas Kundu conducted the workshop. He explained the different elements of nonviolent communication and how these can be integrated in classroom and school management practices.

The views of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar were different, but patriotism was codified in both great men. Despite differences of opinion, the views of both were one in the interest of the country. It is normally shown as if there was strong opposition on both the issues while on a neutral investigation, the truth appears to be something else. Speakers expressed this in a two-day youth workshop and seminar on “Mahatma Gandhiji and B R Ambedkar” held on September 10-11, 2019 at Babhnagama in Madhepura district, Bihar. Former Bihar Chief Minister Bhola Paswan Shastri inaugurated the two-day programme that was organized in collaboration with Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, New Delhi.
The seminar was inaugurated by the former secretary of Delhi-based Gandhi Peace Foundation and Gandhian thinker Shri Surendra Kumar. The chief guest on the occasion was Prof. Sanjay Paswan, former Minister of the Central Government. Educationist Shri Sunil Kunar Sinha, BPS College Principal Prof. Akhilesh Kumar, Dr. KK Chaudhary, Gandhi Gyan Mandir President Prof. Devnarayan Paswan Dev, Secretary Shri Dinanath Prabodh, former cabinet minister of Bihar Government, Ms. Renu Kushwaha, Prof. Ravindra Charan Yadav, Dr. Vinay, principals and professors of other colleges in Madhepura district including Kumar Jha took part in the programme.
The speakers clearly stated that when Mahatma Gandhi was killed, Bhimrao Ambedkar was the first person to reach... Read More

Shri Pankaj Sharma Technical Associate along with Ms. Lalita planted a tree gifted to Director GSDS Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan by the National Sanitation Mission in Gandhi Darshan on September 28, 2019.