Statement Of Purpose

Mission

Strive to help establish a world founded on Truth, Ahimsa, Peaceful Co-existence, Conservation and Love for Labour – values cherished and practised by Gandhiji.

Vision

Preserve for posterity the profound legacy of Gandhiji’s life, thought and work.

Background

Man has vastly changed his environment and has made a great deal of progress in terms of material possessions and pleasures. However, he has not changed a bit from within with reference to spiritual attainments. This lopsided imbalance has led to stark disparities, inequalities, dissatisfaction, discontent and social tensions. Indeed, today, humanity labours under clouds of nuclear wars and other forms of violence for settling their differences and conflicts. It is faced with varied dilemmas, problems and challenges. These challenges are not only internal to man but are an external threat to his very existence. This is also because man has come to believe that progress is not possible without sacrificing the environment.

In keeping with the tenets of a contemporary world, it has become the responsibility and concern of every thinking person to find creative ways and means, to revisit the eternal principles, practices, philosophies and message of Gandhiji’s life and work. The United Nations has declared 2nd October, the birthday of Gandhiji, as "International Day of Non-violence and Peace." It follows that the world even today finds his message completely relevant and worth researching, remembering and emulating.

Bhagwan Mahavir, Buddha, Jesus Christ all have propagated non-violence or ahimsa. However, it was only for the purpose of improvement of an individual’s conduct. Gandhiji was the first living legend who used non-violence for a larger purpose. He consistently preached non-violence as an instrument for sculpting the destinies of nations. His non-violence was not mere submission to violence, passive non-resistance to evil, but a patient and persistent struggle to convert violence into non-violence, injustice into justice, evil into good. For him, the conduct of the struggle was of the utmost importance; and he would employ only pure means to meet pure ends. This is Gandhiji’s greatest contribution to the modern age and thought. It is indeed a gift to the world not only of his time but for infinity.

Gandhiji presented to this unbelieving world all that is noblest in the spirit of man. He illuminated human dignity by faith in the eternal significance of man’s effort. He was one who redeemed the human race. He was the spokesman of the conscience of mankind. It is in this context that while mourning his death, Jawaharlal Nehru said, "The light has gone out of our lives...Yet, I am wrong, for the light that shone in this country was no ordinary light...and a thousand years later that light will still be seen in this country and the world will see it. For that light represented the living truth."

In his own life and by his own uncommon methods, Gandhiji attained more success than any other living being. He raised the people of India out of dust and made them men. To them he brought back self-respect, the spirit of struggle and resistance. To the rest of the world he proved that one can live with less and conquer fear with the power of truth and ahimsa. He pleaded for "more from less for more" (MLM). That was a message for self-restraint and symbiotic partnership with nature.

The world would need all what he had said and all what others have said about him. He wrote and spoke practically on all subjects under the sun. Most of his writings are in the form of articles, speeches, letters and reports of interviews, mainly through either self-edited or sponsored periodicals. His writings comprise the most voluminous corpus in the history of human civilization so far.

Today, every enlightened individual and/or corporate body is concerned about the youth. The youth is desperately looking for role models. Gandhiji is a timeless inspirator. Posterity will have moments to reflect on his profound yet pertinent message. His teachings must reach every home not only in India but all over the world. Gandhiji’s message is universal and adaptable. It is with this exalted inspiration from within that an educational and research institute, a monumental museum, a capacious library and a modern archive are being dedicated to the nation and the world beyond.

This was formulated by the Founder, Shri Bhavarlal Jain on the occasion of the inauguration of the GRF in March 2012.