Fred J Blum: 1914-1990
J B Kripalani - In Conversation
Raihana Tyabji - In Conversation
Dada Dharmadhikari - In Conversation
Sushila Nayar - In Conversation
Jhaver Patel - In Conversation
Sucheta Kripalani - In Conversation
Usha Thakkar is Honorary Director, Institute of Research on
Gandhian Thought and Rural Development; and Honorary Secretary,
Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya, Mumbai. She retired as Professor
and Head, Department of Political Science, SNDT Women’s University,
Mumbai. She has done postdoctoral research at the University of
Chicago on Fulbright Fellowship, at Cornell University on Sr.
Fulbright Fellowship and at York University (Canada) on WID
Fellowship from the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute. Her research
areas are Women’s Studies, Gandhian Studies and Indian Politics.
Her publications include Politics in Maharashtra (co-editor, 1995);
Women in Indian Society (co-author, 2001); Zero Point Bombay: In
and Around Horniman Circle (co-editor, 2008) and Culture and Making
of Identity in Contemporary India (co-editor, 2005).
Jayshree Mehta is Vice Chancellor, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth University,
Piparia, Vadodara. Earlier she was Professor and Head of Surgery in
the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. She is a Fellow of the
International College of Surgeons and past-President of Gujarat
Surgeons’ Association. She was awarded the best Consultant of the
year award in 2008–09 by Indian Medical Association, Gujarat
Branch. She has published many articles in national and
international journals. She has special interest in Breast Cancer
and is currently doing research on its incidence among rural and
urban women of Gujarat. Hailing from Porbandar she has been
interested in the life and thought of Mahatma Gandhi.
This excellent volume fills a gap in the extensive literature on
Gandhi. It provides valuable information and insights and assists a
balanced and just critical assessment of him. As the editors show,
Gandhi still has much to offer to contemporary India`s struggle to
create a just society and a healthy and self-critical political
culture
*Prof Lord Bhikhu Parekh*
There is no single Gandhi, and Usha Thakkar and Jayshree Mehta`s
book compellingly captures the multifaceted aspects of Gandhi`s
life, work, and writings. [This book] convincingly shows us the
many different, creative interpretations of some of the people who
were the closest to him. This is an exciting and well-grounded
contribution to the Gandhi literature.
*Prof Ronald Terchek*
Understanding Gandhi captures that bit of history which can assist
readers and researchers in drawing their version of Gandhi. Without
doubt, it is a valuable addition to the Gandhi literature.
*d-sector.org*
Understanding Gandhi is a collection of interviews of six of
Mahatma Gandhi`s close associates… Insights from these interviews
are enriching… Blum`s interviews present an enormously powerful
tool to understand Gandhi`s ideas and their interpretation… Before
each interview, the editors have given a brief life-sketch of the
interviewee and this is certainly helpful for readers not familiar
with these Gandhian leaders to place them in the right context. The
editors also must be commended for giving an extremely readable and
informative introduction, summarising the views of the interviewee,
helping the reader to benefit from the interviews. Should the
reader be inspired to read more on Gandhi, the editors of the
volume have given a fairly exhaustive bibliography at the end of
the book…. A very interesting book.
*The Financial Express*
The book points out that Gandhi developed rich and complex language
of discourse to focus on key concepts—satyagraha, non-violence,
brahmcharya, fasting, spirituality and others. This blend of an
intimate knowledge of Gandhi gives the book unique vantage. Fred J
Blum has adopted a different genre of interviewing Gandhi`s closest
associates who saw him in different conditions and circumstances.
The interviews promote the holistic understanding of the Gandhian
thought and come out with kaleidoscopic picture of Gandhi`s dynamic
philosophy that is deeply rooted in action for the emancipation of
the subaltern poor people.
*The Tribune*
This book gives an exceptional insight into the circumstances that
combined to make Gandhism irrelevant after independence… The
interviews are so nicely done that they cover the entire gamut of
Gandhian thought in a seamless manner. The chatty style of
narratives makes it comprehensible to even the casual reader
unaccustomed to the rigour of academic writing.
*GovernanceNow*
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