Gandhi dedicated his life to fight discrimination: retd VC

Despite being a victim of discrimination and having suffered several hardships, Mahatma Gandhi dedicated his life to eradicate discriminatory practises, said P Venkataramaiah, former vice chancellor of Kuvempu University, here on Friday.

He was speaking at a programme to mark the centenary celebrations of the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India, organised by the Department of Studies in Education and Gandhian Studies Centre, University of Mysore.

“The incident in South Africa, in which Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out from his bogie, due to the practice of apartheid, influenced Gandhi a lot. Having returned to India on January 15, he decided to dedicate his life in the path of truth and non-violence,” he said.

He said that the life of Mahatma Gandhi was a lesson to every person across the globe. “His ideals have influenced thousands of people across the globe. His teachings will be relevant forever,” he said.

The office of the president of USA has portraits of only two leaders -- Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi. “This shows how Gandhi has influenced the world. Efforts should be made to popularise his teachings among the general public,” he said.