Arun Gandhi: Exploration of Non-Violence
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Wolran Kim
Mar. 2012


Arun Gandhi (1934~), the grandson of Gandhi (1869~1948), presented the concept of non-violence and his stories of inspiration from his grandfather. He has been involved in projects for economic and social reform in India, as well as America. He and his wife founded the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. The institute’s mission is to educate and progress the practices of nonviolence to achieve a sustainable and just world. Arun has also traveled across the globe to such places as Brazil, Croatia, France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Nicaragua, to share his unique perspective on one of history’s most influential leaders.

Arun moved to the United States to work on a study at the University of Mississippi in 1987. In 1996, he co-founded the Season for Nonviolence as a yearly celebration of the philosophies and lives of Mahatma Gandhi and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In fall of 2007, Gandhi co-taught a course entitled "Gandhi on Personal Leadership and Nonviolence" at Salisbury University. South Africa, where Arun grew up, was a sad land with severe racism and injustice of social issues. That environment provided to his grandfather could expand his unique ability to the world. Arun had a deep respect for his grandfather’s values and beliefs because he was always generous and learnable to Arun, not because of his social fame. Arun could learn a lot from him – how to refrain from anger, how to use power peacefully and, above all, humility.

His first lesson was how to understand anger to keep the peace. Anger is as powerful as electricity and we cannot break the cycle of violence without understanding about the channels and angles of resentment. Human beings cannot live alone and must learn how to deal with the presence of living in relation to each other as members of society and nations. Therefore, a person’s anger destroys relationships of family, society, and even the country’s peace. Anger begins with punishment. Violence of repaying anger and unfairness cannot stop without our efforts in trying to make a nonviolent, non-punishment-filled society.

Gandhi helped poor people with collecting charity funds through his own handwritten autographs, and he said to Arun that we should know how to share our fruits with others. Gandhi’s social activities were not for his own wealth and fame, but for the liberation of his soul and constant practice of nonviolence. He said that this world is wealthy enough for our needs, but truly a poor place for our greed. In every society, material wealth and morality are in an inverse relationship. Once, Arun had asked for a new pencil after he threw away his old, small pencil when he was a kid. Then his grandfather made Arun look for that small pencil for over two hours. He said that one small pencil came to us from natural resources and people’s skills so we should never waste them because waste recalls the poor. Also, poverty leads to complaints and violence.

Arun had another living lesson for a lifetime when he was 16 years old. He was to give his father a ride to his father’s conference which was held downtown, 18 miles away from home. He was late in picking him up because Arun went and saw a movie. He lied to his father, saying that he was late because of car maintenance, but his father knew it was lie. So his father walked for more than five hours to go home without a ride, and Arun followed him, driving the car. After that, he never lied again. The greatness of Gandhi in putting together a vast country, India, is revealed in his generation and in his home. The story between Gandhi, his son, and his grandson showed us great methods of education for their children at home. These impressive episodes make us think about how to teach our kids at home again.

Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, and Arun’s nephew was assassinated too, due to belonging to the wrong political party when he was 29 years old. Then Arun’s parents reminded him of his grandfather’s words, “Never react immediately in anger.” Arun's parents taught him to "forgive" and dedicate his life to ending senseless violence in the world. Violent society keeps the cycle of causes and consequences. The key to Gandhi’s philosophy was forgiveness and compassion. There was a unique inner world of religion behind his philosophy, and his life was the practice of his religion and philosophy. Gandhi said, “Nobody can hurt me without my permission. Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man. Non-violence, which is the quality of the heart, cannot come by an appeal to the brain.”

Arun consistently emphasized his grandfather’s nonviolent social teachings in his presentation. Mahatma Gandhi is a revered figure as one of the sages of the 20th century. Gandhi receives the affection and loyalty from almost all factions of India, western sects of the religion, and many ages with various inclinations. But he is known as being very modest about all his achievements for peace in the world. Nonviolence against the violence of all injustice sometimes seems so weak such as the majority of British people thinking he was a dreamer who dreams of a utopia. But violence and revenge in our society will continue without breaking the cycle, as in Gandhi and Arun’s words.

Arun was seen as a person who is trying to lead a life like his grandfather’s life. It is not easy for a descendant of a famous person—a respected figure from their achievement, not just from fame—to becomes famous. Arun’s presentation was more impressive because he focused on how he was inspired and how he learned from his grandfather, not how proud he was of his grandfather’s contributions. His manner of speech was enough to get the confidence about Gandhi’s achievements and humble personality.