On Thursday, President Droupadi Murmu said that Mahatma Gandhi’s objective of social equality and unity was still essential for the country’s progress toward becoming a modern, developed country.
The comments were given by Murmu in her speech at the Mahatma Gandhi Central University’s first convocation, which was held in Motihari, East Champaran District, Bihar.
The president, who spoke for less than 15 minutes, devoted a significant portion of her speech to the “Champaran Satyagraha,” in which Gandhi led a passive resistance of indigo planters in the area. This event quickly captured the attention of the country and established the South African-born barrister as a household name.
“People abandoned caste distinctions during the Champaran Satyagraha, particularly when it came to food. Together, they prepared and consumed meals. The president addressed in front of Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and others. He stated that the social equality and togetherness that Gandhi inspired 106 years ago caused the powerful British empire to submit.
“That idea of social equality and cohesion is still applicable today. That ought to be the cornerstone upon which we realize our aspiration to become a developed country in contemporary times, she said.
Murmu, the first member of a Schedule Tribe to hold the highest constitutional position, also claimed that Gandhi had supported research on “janjaatis” (tribes) in academia.
She also remembered Gandhi’s strong relationship with Verrier Elwin, an anthropologist and ethnologist who was born in Britain and established in India. Verrier Elwin dedicated his life to supporting the national cause and researching the tribal people of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh.
Murmu also praised the central university for promoting research on the Tharu tribe, whose members live in the terai area near the Nepali-Indian border.
She also lavishly praised Champaran’s historical significance, noting that it “is home to many pillar edicts of Emperor Asoka.”
“All visitors to Rashtrapati Bhavan at Delhi behold the Rampurva Bull Capital, which was found in West Champaran district and has been installed at the entrance of Durbar Hall,” she said.
The president also mentioned the nearby Valmiki Tiger Reserve and the well-known litchis cultivated there that are shipped to distant regions.
She said, “I am delighted to discover that female students make up about 60% of the best scorers in the different courses of this institution. When I see females succeeding in their academics with confidence, I envision a bright future for the nation. Gandhi was a strong supporter of females’ education as well.
