Strained India-Oz ties seek solace in Bapu

An impressive re-enactment of the salt satyagrah, an Odyssey dance performance and a rendition of “Ekla Chalo Re” made the Gandhi Jayanti celebration at the University of New South Wales here on Thursday all the more special.

Organised by UNSW, Australia-India Institute and UNSW Indian Cultural Association, the event was attended by Amit Dasgupta (Consul General of India to Australia), Neville Roach (Patron of the Australia India Institute), members of the Indian community and students among others.

The occasion was also significant as it was the first celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary after his bronze bust was unveiled just a month back at the lush green library grounds of the university.

A gift from the Government of India, Gandhi’s bust was symbolically unveiled on Wattle Day’s 100th anniversary on Sep 1.

The unveiling of the bust on Wattle Day symbolised the day when the first flower blossomed after the bushfire experienced by India and Australia in the wake of turbulent attacks on Indian students last year.

Thus, in a thoughtful gesture to foster greater understanding and goodwill between the two countries, the Indian government gifted the bust to the University of New South Wales.

Sculpted by Ram Sutar, the bust has been placed at eye level, keeping in mind the fact that Gandhi believed in equality of all and never looked down upon anyone. It also carries his famous quote: “An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind.”
The sculpture is a symbol of peace and harmony and so is the native wattle. The flower is a symbol of student safety at the University of New South Wales by the virtue of being the first pioneer plants to rise from the ashes of bushfires.

Surrounded by native wattle, Mahatma’s bust indeed seems to send across a warm message of peace and harmony.