Meditations on Gandhi: A Ravindra Varma Festschrift

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This testschrift in honour of well-known Gandhian, Ravindra Varma, provides a deep insight into his multi-dimensional personality and examines various aspects of Gandhian thought. The book is divided into two parts.

The first part, containing impressions and personal recollections of some of those who have privilege of knowing Ravindra Varma personally and intimately, throws a flood of light on the nature of involvement of Shri Varmaji in the national movement. The second part, having 11 papers by scholars of international repute, covers a broad range of Gandhian themes including Gandhi's views on spiritual living, economy, modernity, social world order, women, religion, education, nationalism and development paradigm, as also Gandhi's lessons for the twenty-first century. A Buddhist perspective on social as well as environmental violence also makes part of this volume.

M. P. Mathai is Reader in Gandhian Studies attached to the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala. He is one of the founder members of the National Alliance of Peoples' Movements and is a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha, Maharashtra. He has recently published a book on Mahatma Gandhi's World View. His areas of interest include ecology, social and environment movements in India and Gandhian philosophy.

M.S. John is Reader in Political Science and Peace Studies at the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala. His areas of interest include Panchayati Raj and Participatory Planning, Peace Theory and Conflict Resolution, and Gender Issues in Development Planning and Sexual Health Interventions. He has co- authored a book in Malayalam on the Sen Committee on Panchayat reforms in Kerala and has also published in national and international journals.

Siby K. Joseph is a Faculty Member of the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha. He has researched on the unemployment problems in Kerala, the functioning of Gram Sabhas in Tamil Nadu and aspects of good governance in Kerala.

It is only befitting that a festschrift is brought out as a tribute to Ravindra Varma on the occasion of his seventy-fifth birth anniversary. It will be a matter of joy for all those who have associated with him or are familiar with his life and work. The idea of a volume of this kind was mooted by some of his colleagues, friends and students who met during an International Workshop on Non-violence, organized in New Delhi in October 1999. The volume places on record Ravindra Varma's multi- dimensional services to the nation and contributions to the study, propagation and understanding of Gandhian studies. Before proceeding to discuss the contents of the volume, a brief account of the life and work of Ravindra Varma is in order.

Ravindra Varma's public life spans almost six full decades. Having imbibed the spirit of the Indian national movement and inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's ideas, he devoted his life fully to the service of his motherland, with total devotion and commitment.

Born in a royal family at Mavelikkara, Kerala, on April 18,1925, Ravindra Varma was educated at The Maharaja's College of Arts, Trivandrum and later at the Madras Christian College, Tambaram, Madras. The clarion call of Mahatma Gandhi during the Quit India Movement to 'do or die' was so irresistible that the young Ravindra Varma left his college studies and took the plunge. He was arrested and imprisoned. For Ravindra Varma it was commitment for life and there was no looking back afterwards.

He was called upon to organise the All India Students' Congress. In fact, Indian students' politics during the struggle for independence was moulded under his dynamic leadership.

**Contents and Sample Pages**