As part of the reformation programme being implemented in jails across the State, 1,000-odd inmates from the prisons of Arthur Road, Byculla, Thane, Paithan, Nagpur, Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola, Wardha, Nashik, Bhandara, Ratnagiri, Osmanabad and Yavatmal appeared for the Gandhi Peace examination, conducted jointly by Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal (BSM) and Gandhi Research Foundation (GRM).
The highlight of this year’s Gandhi birth celebrations was the unveiling of a unique collection of Mahatma’s souvenirs by Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan, at a
function organised by the Aditya Birla Group at Raj Bhavan, here.
The souvenir collection comprises statues of the iconic three monkeys, puzzle cubes, crystal cubes, wrist watches, khadi shirts, mugs, bookmarks, magnets, notepads, calendars, ceramic statues, paperweights, key chains, pen stand and other articles.
The Aditya Birla Group has opened an outlet at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) for marketing the souvenir items. The souvenirs are also being made available at Mani Bhavan in Mumbai, Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and Rajghat in New Delhi.
The Mahatma souvenirs’ collection should be seen in the light of the fact that GD Birla was a close associate of Gandhi, whom he met for the first time in 1916. Gandhi was at Birla’s home (currently known as Gandhi Smriti) in New Delhi, when he was assassinated in 1948, having stayed there for the last of four months of his life.
In a slew of other activities dedicated to Gandhi, 525 National Social Service (NSS) students from 75 colleges of University of Mumbai joined hands with lakhs of people all over the world and took a pledge on the International Non-Violence Day. The NSS students from 80 colleges participated in elocution, poster and essay-writing competitions related to Gandhi’s teachings, organised by Mumbai University and BSM.
In a slew of other activities dedicated to father of the Nation — as revered Gandhi is known in India, 525 National Social Service (NSS) students from 75 colleges of University of Mumbai joined hands with lakhs of people all over the world and took a pledge on the International Non-Violence Day.
The NSS students from 80 colleges participated in elocution, poster and essay-writing competitions related to Gandhi’s teachings, organised by Mumbai University and Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal.
Like in the previous years, the BSM and GRM attempting to reach out Gandhi’s message to inmates in various prisons across Maharashtra. “Gandhi’s life and works will give the prisoners an opportunity to repent for their crimes and live as responsible citizens on completion of their sentences. Around 3,000 jail inmates in remaining jails will appear for the exam throughout the year,” TRK Somaiya of the BSM said.
Apart from taking part in reformation programmes like meditation, yoga, AIDS control, adult education, inmates in jails across Maharashtra watched films that carried Mahatma’s message like Gandhi, Do Aankhen Barah Haath, Bapu Ne kaha thaa and Lage Raho Munnabhai.
Encouraged by an address on “Gandhi and Management” delivered by Laxman Gole, a reformed criminal who is now working as a management consultant, 360 management students agreed to read the autobiography and will learn marketing through practice by selling 10,800 copies of the book, Story of My Experiments with Truth.
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