Mahatma Gandhi is known as one of the greatest statesmen who ever lived.  But as a child, he had his struggles.  He was very shy and didn’t do well in school.  He fell in with a bad crowd, and even stole and smoked.  Feeling guilty, he confessed his misdeeds to his father, who could not hold back his tears.  This was a pivotal point in Gandhi’s life, and he vowed never again to waver from the path of truth.  He finished school, and went to England to study law.  He tried practicing law in India, but he wasn’t very successful, so he moved to South Africa to work there.  One day, while traveling by train in a first class compartment, Gandhi was ridiculed and thrown out by a white passenger.  The humiliation made him determined to fight racism.  He felt strongly that any protest must be made according to the path of ahimsa, or non-violence.  In 1915 Gandhi returned to India and was welcomed by a huge crowd.  He emphasized people’s rights and the right to independence.  His movement touched a chord with the masses.  One of Gandhi’s most beloved quotes is: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”  Deepak Chopra founded the Alliance for a New Humanity based on this quote.  In so many ways, Gandhi’s work lives on.

Alliance for a New Humanity