Gandhi’s Timeless Advice: Be the Change You Want to See

In independent India, Gandhiji has been the biggest influence on our collective consciousness. And he will probably always be the most influential figure that India has produced in the modern era. For me also Mahatma is my biggest inspiration.

There is a unique Gandhi for every Indian. Most admire his patriotism and nationalism, as well as his fierce sense of duty towards the nation and fellow citizens. Many appreciate his simplicity and spirituality as well as his love and compassion. Many others like his support of Swadeshi.

Gandhi’s ideals of truth, non-violence and non-cooperation in the face of an oppressor, and his life-long devotion to the service of the nation have been seen to unite Indians like no other.

His global impression is so powerful that Albert Einstein famously said that “generations to come will scarcely believe that such a thing ever happened on this earth in flesh and blood”.

Gandhi has many life-changing thoughts and experiences that I would like to talk about. However, if I had to pick one idea that Gandhi embodies so powerfully, it is: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It is extremely relevant in the present context.

In a world grappling with a devastating and once-in-a-century pandemic, and dealing with conflicts in many parts while combating major global problems like climate change, we can all be Gandhians in our own unique ways. Thus, we can all work to bring about the positive change that we want to see around us.

Let me start with a small example. As industry leaders, we have tried to promote the idea of ​​Swadeshi. At our steel plant at Angul, Odisha, one of the ‘temples of modern India’, we are producing steel using clean technology of coal gasification, with the use of only indigenous coal.

Apart from our freedom struggle veterans, I also learned a lot about the philosophy of Swadeshi and self-reliance from my father and the founder of our business group, OP Jindal.

However, in this article, I would like to talk more about how, inspired by Gandhi, I have tried to bring about a change in my small ways in various walks of life. I would argue that we can all be the change we want to see around us.

As a student in America, I proudly displayed my national flag. When I came back to India after my studies in 1992, and wanted to display the Tricolor with pride and honor in our plant premises in Raigad, Chhattisgarh, I was barred from doing so by the local administration in 1993 citing the then Flag Code. was given. Then I fought a decade-long legal battle for my right to hoist the tricolor as a citizen.

In 2004, the Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment, allowed every Indian to display the tricolor with pride, honor and respect at home and other private places, establishments and public offices. I would urge all of you to display your beloved tricolor everyday and get inspired to do your best for the country. Gandhi liked the idea of ​​a national flag that represented the country’s unity in diversity, and included people belonging to different religions.

As a public representative, I have been concerned about many national issues. I introduced a private member’s motion for a zero-hunger act in the Lok Sabha in 2006. This led to the enactment of the National Food Security Act.

After this many measures like ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ and tackling malnutrition were taken. Gandhi’s ideas about education, or “Nai Talim”, were part of his broader vision of an ideal society.

We have established universities and schools. The OP Jindal Global University, for example, is our way of paying back to the society and also a tribute to the visionary builders of modern India.

Education is a lifelong process. Gandhi also showed us how to be willing to learn and grow. In 1909 and also in 1926 he wrote that “machinery is the chief symbol of modern civilization; It represents a great sin.” He had a more developed and nuanced understanding of the issue as time went on. In 1934, he wrote: “Mechanization is good when the hands are too few to complete the work.” I opened I have learned to work with my mind.

Being individual agents of change, an idea so beautifully and powerfully expressed and established by Gandhi, if we all, in our individual capacities, do our job well and diligently, we can build the nation of our dreams. will be able to. Inspired by Gandhi, we should be able to say: “My life is my message.”

In the end, I dream of an India where Tagore’s poetic vision of “where the mind is fearless and the head held high” is a constant companion to Gandhi’s ideals of nationalism, civilization and our collective future.

Naveen Jindal is the President of Jindal Steel & Power, Chancellor of OP Jindal Global University and former Member of Parliament.