Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, Wardha

  On the occasion of the 81st anniversary of Kasturba Gandhi’s demise, the Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan organised a series of programmes to pay tribute to her memory. The commemorations began at 5:45 am on February 22, 2026, with a Ram Dhun chanting walk from the Nai Talim Ghanti Ghar to Ba Kuti at Sevagram Ashram, followed by a special prayer meeting in front of Kasturba’s cottage. During the day, congregational spinning was held at the prayer ground facing the hut, concluding with the evening prayer at the Ashram. As part of the national observance, Dr. Siby K. Joseph, Director of the Library and Research Centre for Gandhian Studies, delivered the Kasturba Gandhi Memorial Address during an online gathering organised by the Gandhi Darshan Samity. The event, coinciding with the 81st anniversary of her martyrdom, was inaugurated by Shri V. C. Kabeer Master, President of Gandhi Darshan Samity, Kerala. Continuing the commemorative events on February 23, 2026, the Sevagram Ashram Pratis...

  इस्लामबद्दल संत विनोबांनी हिंदुशी साधलेला संवाद साने गुरुजींनी आपल्या हस्ताक्षरात लिहून घेतलेला [टीप : हा दस्तऐवज श्री पराग चोळकर यांनी श्री डॅनियल माझगावकर याना दिला. त्यांनी मला पाठवला. या दोघांचे मनः पूर्वकं आभार. वाचकांसाठी सादर] मागील पोस्ट वरून पुढे ……। हिंदु-मुसलमानांचें ऐक्य शक्य आहे का असा मला प्रश्र्न विचारण्यांत आला. शक्य आहे एवढेंच नाहीं तर तें इष्टहि आहे. फार विचारपूर्वक ह्या गोष्टीकडे पाहिले पाहिजे. आपण हिंदु आणि मुसलमान हिंदुस्थानांत एकोप्यानें राहावयास शिकत होतों. भाई सुंदरलाल ह्यांनी "भारत में अंग्रेजी राज्य" ह्या जप्त झालेल्या पुस्तकाला जी प्रस्तावना जोडली होती, त्या प्रस्तावनेंत त्यांनीं ही गोष्ट शेंकडों प्रमाणें देऊन सिद्ध केली होती. आपण एकमेकांशीं कसें जुळतें घेत चाललों होतो ह्याचा इतिहास आपणांस माहित नाहीं. साध्या साध्या गोष्टीहि आपण विसरून जातो. प्रत्यक्ष शिवाजी महाराजांचे सुद्धां मुसलमानांशीं ऐक्य होतें. शिवाजी महाराजांच्या आरमारावर मुसलमान अधिकारी होते. परस्पर विश्र्वासाशिवाय ही गोष्ट शक्य होती का ? शिवाजीचें धर्माशी वांकडे नव्हते. एका व...

  KASTURBA GANDHI MEMORIAL ADDRESS   From Phoenix to Aga Khan Palace: The Political Trajectory of ‘Ba’ By  Siby K. Joseph The lives of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba are so profoundly intertwined that they are often viewed as a single entity. However, at critical junctures of the freedom struggle, Kasturba emerged from the Mahatma’s side to display extraordinary grit and determination, especially when he was away from the scene due to imprisonment. Despite this, her independent contributions across various fields have rarely been given the proper evaluation they deserve. This memorial lecture on eve of 81 st anniversary of her martyrdom  is a modest attempt to redress this imbalance by examining Kasturba Gandhi’s unique role as a political activist—from the foundational years at the Phoenix Settlement in South Africa to her final sacrifice at the Aga Khan Palace in Pune. Kasturba was never a mere shadow of her husband; she was a woman of independent political will and f...

Special Dialogue Programme: Secular Gandhi   Prof. Suresh Dwadashiwar, a veteran journalist, author on Gandhian themes, and former Editor of Lokmat Nagpur , addressed a special programme titled "Secular Gandhi" on the evening of February 21, 2026, at the Satyanarayan Bajaj Hall, Public Library, Wardha. The event was organised by the Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, Wardha. In his address, Prof. Dwadashiwar emphasized that Mahatma Gandhi was the most secular leader in India's history. He highlighted Gandhi's deep-rooted belief in Sarva Dharma Samabhav (equal respect for all religions) and his inclusivity toward non-believers. The speaker noted that while George Jacob Holyoake originally coined the term "secularism," Gandhi's approach uniquely blended this concept with the ancient Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam —"The world is one family." The lecture was followed by a lively discussion on various dimensions of secularism. The event drew ...

 Visit of  Leo Van Cleynenbreugel and Interactive session Leo Van Cleynenbreugel, a Hindi language teacher from the Department of Languages and Cultures at Ghent University, Belgium, visited the Sevagram Ashram in Wardha on February 18, 2026. Accompanied by Nitu Singh, he toured the ashram’s library and research centre. During the visit, he held discussions with the centre's director, Dr. Siby K. Joseph, who briefed the visitors on their ongoing research  and academic activities. As a token of appreciation, Dr. Siby Joseph presented them with the Hindi translation of the book, The 1924 Belgaum Congress Session: A Pictorial Narrative of Mahatma Gandhi’s Presidential Debut . In an interactive session that followed, Van Cleynenbreugel shared his experiences, answered questions from attendees, and recited an original poem he wrote dedicated to Sevagram Ashram.  Orientation Programme for Social Activists  The Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, Wardha, in association with t...

  Sevagram Ashram Hosts Interactive Session on Herbert Fischer’s Indo-German Legacy Katja Fischer, the granddaughter of Herbert Fischer—a German associate of Mahatma Gandhi—visited the Sevagram Ashram on February 15 and 16, 2026. She was accompanied by Dr. Frank Glante. Traveling in search of Fischer’s historical roots in Wardha and Sevagram, they interacted with Dr. Siby K. Joseph, Director of the Library and Research Centre, to better understand his connections to Gandhi. During the visit, they graciously agreed to provide archival material relating to the Fischer-Gandhi relationship. An interactive session detailing Herbert Fischer’s association with Gandhi was organized on February 16, 2026. Fascinated by Gandhi's philosophy of non-violent resistance, a 19-year-old Fischer had originally traveled from Germany to India by foot, bicycle, and boat, finally reaching Gandhi in December 1936. Fischer experienced ashram life firsthand, living near Gandhi's ashram while staying and...