Talk: Talk on Gandhian Thought

The five principles of Gandhianism, Satya (Truth), Nyay (Justice), Neeti (Ethics), Dharma (Righteousness), and Ahimsa (Non-violence), remain relevant today, especially in promoting environmental sustainability, trusteeship, swadeshi (self-reliance), and swaraj (self-rule).

Dr. Sankar Kumar Sanyal (b. 30 July 1948) is a professor, lawyer, and Gandhian expert who worked closely with Smt Nirmala Deshpande, former president of the Gandhi Ashram. He holds a BA (1967) and LLB (1972) from the University of Calcutta, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), London, and completed a management course in Sustainable Rural Development at Birmingham University, UK.

He began his career as an advocate at the Calcutta High Court and was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1972. As Honorary Secretary of the West Bengal Branch of Harijan Sevak Sangh (1978 to 2013), he guided the installation of over 500,000 smokeless chulhahs and supported rural artisans and Khadi organizations. He also helped establish free schools for more than 75,000 children and played a key role in founding Shree Agrasain College under the University of Calcutta.

Dr. Sanyal’s work embodies Gandhian values of truth, justice, ethics, dharma, ahimsa, environmental sustainability, trusteeship, swadeshi, and swaraj, promoting responsible living and resilient local communities.