Mahatma Gandhiji fondly called her Sumi. In the numerous post-cards Gandhiji sent to her during India’s freedom struggle, one could capture the strong bonding between the grandpa and the granddaughter. Just that Gandhiji had one advice: “Sumi, you must improve your hand-writing.” Today, the energetic, alert and healthy ‘little Sumi’ is set to turn 83 years old.
Daughter of Gandhiji’s third son Ramdas, Sumitra Gandhi Kulkarni leads a modest life with her husband Prof G R Kulkarni (founder faculty of IIM-Ahmedabad) in their flat at J P Nagar.
On Gandhiji’s birth anniversary, Sumitra Gandhi tells The New Indian Express that had Gandhi been alive today, he would have definitely chosen to go on a fast-unto-death, unable to bear the chaos in India. Excerpts.
TNIE: Your early memories of Gandhiji…
SGK: I was raised in Sabarmati Ashram. Bapuji was 60-years-old when I was born in 1929. He liked the character Sumitra (mother of Lakshman in Ramayana) and named me after her. In all his letters he addressed me as Sumi and often said that I was his 60th birthday gift from God. With all his preoccupations, he found time to hold my hand and walk with me in the ashram’s verandah. Bapuji took considerable care as what I should eat, how to eat and when to eat. Discipline was a way of life for him and he ensured that I was always on the right track.
TNIE: What was the most striking moments you had with Gandhiji?
SGK: I had many with him. Bapuji was very clear in his mind. He said one should have a good handwriting and good command over the language, including spellings. Whenever he got five minutes, he always took care of his grandchildren. Nothing escaped his eyes. He had the tremendous ability to support human beings. He was a man with no secrets. No doors were ever locked. He took everyone together.
TNIE: How do you celebrate October 2nd?
SGK: We don’t celebrate any birthdays. During birthdays children become calculative and greedy. Even the birthdays of my children (Ram, Krish and Sonali), and our grandchildren are not celebrated. As a matter of principle we have cut out the entire practice of celebrating birthdays.
TNIE: Did Gandhiji celebrate his birthday?
SGK: Only the ashram members celebrated his birthday when he was alive. Most of them observed fast, on his birthday. Bapuji never bothered about the significance of the day.
TNIE: On the day, when Gandhiji was shot dead…
SGK: It was in 1948 and I was studying at Banaras Hindu University. I was numb when informed about Bapuji’s demise. After an eventful train journey, I reached Rajghat. Lakhs and lakhs of people had gathered there. My father Ramdas Gandhi lit the pyre. I was 19-years-old then and sometimes I feel that had he lived for another year, he would have had the opportunity to offer my kanyadan as those days getting married at 19 was very common.
TNIE: Do you think that he and his teachings have become mere symbolic these days?
SGK: Yes, he has. People use his name for their personal publicity. Today politicians who talk about Bapuji have very superficial thinking. He is remembered on every October 2nd and January 30th. They don’t even think about him the very next moment.
TNIE: Are you hurt by these acts of tokenism?
SGK: Very much. We have made Bapuji a mere statue. His thoughts and deeds should have been with us like that of a living human being. But, I think, this trend might change. May be by 2050... India might again see the value of Bapuji in its full spirit.
TNIE: What else hurts you?
SGK: The act of violence in the country. To be non-violent, you need lots of courage. To be truthful, you should be fearless. I am very sad by seeing innocent people being attacked... when buses are burnt, when buildings are targeted. Everything is bought and built with the taxes collected from all of us. People, who talk about non-violence, don’t act in the same manner. Today, we are in a mad race of superiority. We must respect fellow Indians. Respect every human being you come across.
TNIE: And, if Gandhiji was alive, what would he have done?
SGK: For sure, he would have gone on a fast-unto-death on seeing the happenings in India. It would have hurt him so much, that he would have wanted to die. Today, we are just using his name, but not applying his teachings in our life.