Gatchina News Service Television Report (in Russian): https://vk.com/wall-26139619_76618
A gala opening of “Mahatma Gandhi – A Great Soul of India” exhibition in the State Institute of Economics, Law, Finance and Technologies, Gatchina, Leningrad Region, took place on February, 20th, 2019. The exhibition is devoted to the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The exhibition is a joint project of the Consulate General of India in St. Petersburg and St. Petersburg Branch of the International Centre of the Roerichs.
The event was held in the gala hall of the Institute, where Vladislav Kovalev, the rector, made a speech. He noted the important role of Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of non-violence for the whole world. He thanked Mr. Naresh Kumar, the Consul on culture of the Consulate General of India in St. Petersburg for his visit to the exhibition opening, and he thanked Eduard Tomsha, the chairman of the St. Petersburg Branch of the International Centre of the Roerichs, for the exhibition that made possible for the students to understand life and creative public activity of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the greatest world leaders of the XX century.
Mr.Naresh Kumar, the Consul on culture of the Consulate General of India in St. Petersburg thanked Eduard Tomsha for the beautiful exhibition and especially thanked Vladislav Kovalev, the Institute rector, as well as the administration of the Leningrad and Gatchina regions. Mr. Naresh Kumar told that there are two important days in life: the first is the day of one’s birth, and the second is the day, when a person understands what he was born for. Mahatma Gandhi understood his mission when he got off the train on Pietermaritzburg train station in South Africa. He had bought a first-class ticket, but he was made to go in a luggage car, that he denied to do, and he was made to leave the train. It was a cold winter night and it was then that he decided to stay in South Africa and to struggle with the race discrimination. It was then that he pronounced his famous words: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”. This struggle with the race discrimination made start of his unique version of non-violence resistance, to Satyagraha.
Mr.Kumar continued: “You may ask, “What is the relevance of Gandhi in this materialistic, agnostic and consumer culture of today? What is Gandhi’s value in the modern world and the secret of his success? Gandhi was a leading star for Dalai-Lama, the Tibetan leader, who truly understands the Gandhi’s success. He said that a lot of the ancient thinkers pronounced ahimsa (non-violence) only as a philosophy. Mahatma Gandhi made it more complex because he used this extremely noble philosophy in the modern policy. And he managed to succeed. This is the Gandhi’s greatness and his heritage to the modern world”. Gandhi showed extraordinary capabilities in communication with people, he was a leader and a friend for the people”. Mr.Kumar ended his speech with thanks to Vladislav Kovalev, the rector, for the invitation to the prestigious Institute; Mr.Kumar hopes that the exhibition will show new chapters of Mahatma Gandhi’s life.
Eduard Tomsha, the chairman of the St.Petersburg Branch of the International Centre of the Roerichs, told the public about life and work of Mahatma Gandhi, about his letters to Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian writer, which supported some Gandhi’s ideas of Satyagraha.The event ended with the design faculty students show and gifts presenting to the exhibition organizers.
