When Mahatma called himself Farmer

Pune: The irony could not have been more severe. In a country where farmer suicides are a daily occurrence, the Father of the Nation professed himself a farmer.

When Mahatma Gandhi said, “True India lies in villages and its countless farmers,” he was not just mouthing meaningless words. Though the world recognised him as a barrister, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi counted himself as a farmer.

Gandhi visited the Bhandarkar Oriental Reasearch Institute (BORI) here on September 1, 1945. He was accompanied by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur and Manilal Gandhi. After watching the research work at the institute, Gandhi was requested to give his comments in the visitor book. “Bahut anand hua,” (I am very pleased) is what he wrote. In the ‘occupation’ column, Gandhi wrote, ‘khedut’, which in Gujarati means ‘farmer’.

For many years, no one took notice of this fact. The record surfaced in 2001 when Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar visited the institute. M.G. Dhadphale, honorary secretary of the BORI, says: “Sharad Pawar came here and observed our work. When he came to know that Mahatma Gandhi had signed in the visitor book, he was curious to find Mahatma’s occupation. After the records were dug up, the fact sprung up.”

The same record shows that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had also wrote their profession as a ‘farmer’ and Rajkumari Amrita Kaur wrote ‘deshsevika’ while Manilal Gandhi wrote ‘Editor, Indian Opinion’ in the occupation column.

Renovation work to start soon

Pune: A year after Union finance minister Dr P. Chidambaram declared a donation of Rs 7.5 crore for renovation of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in the city, the groundwork on the research centre is all set to start soon.
The institute conducts research in ancient Sanskrit and other classical manuscripts. Last year, BORI, along with the other four institutions across the country associated with Mahatma Gandhi, was allocated Rs 30 crore to commemorate 150th anniversary of the 1857 freedom struggle.

Prof M.G. Dhadphale, honorary secretary of the institute, said, “We have so far received Rs 5 crore of the Rs 7.5 crore fund. The renovation plan includes some new constructions, extension of library and a new hostel of international standard. Computer supported reader’s rooms and classrooms for scholars would also be provided,” he said. Some buildings of the institute are classified as heritage structures and their conservation work will also be undertaken, Dhadphale said.

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