BY MAHADEV DESAI

On the sunny afternoon of Sunday, February 6, the Gandhi Foundation of USA (GFUSA), observed a momentous triple celebrations of the 7th anniversary of the dedication of Gandhi Statue, the 56th Republic Day of India and the Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.76th Birth anniversary.

The ceremonies began with the garlanding of the resplendent, towering statue of the Mahatma, by Troy Lissimore, the former Superintendent of the Martin Luther King, National Park Service and a steadfast anchor for the installation of the Gandhi statue.
The main program continued at the hallowed Ebenezer Baptist Church where once Rev. M.L.K.Jr. preached as its pastor and which is looked upon as the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement.

Atlanta’s well-known musician Krishna Kali Bakshi and her well- trained young students Aditi Acharya, Manali Adi, Akhilesh Gupta, Shiva Mishra (vocal) and tabla players Anish Patel and Vishnu Natrajan, gave a soulful rendition of “Raghupati Raghava”. The parents as well as these children deserve appreciation for their participation in the festivities, and presenting the much needed presence of youth. 
GFUSA Youth Wing Director, Vinita Thapar, emceed the program. She briefly remarked about the Youth Wing’s ongoing efforts in raising funds for the Tsunami relief.

A minute’s silence was observed in memory of the victims of the South Asian Tsunami disaster.

In his brief welcome address, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin’s Chief of Staff and the GFUSA Vice Chairman, Greg Pridgeon, remarked that he was happy to announce that Atlanta will soon have Fukuoka, Japan, as Atlanta’s sister-city. He said the visiting delegation was excited about the GFUSA; one of Atlanta’s shining lights, and its mission of promoting world peace, love and harmony. He added, “ We hope this brotherhood and sisterhood that we push forth through the Gandhi Foundation will be imitated and emulated in other young cities around the world.” And he concluded by thanking the Foundation on behalf of the people of Atlanta, the Mayor Shirley Franklin and the M.L.K.Jr. National Historic Site.

After Krishna Kali, in her inimitable sweet voice sang ‘Vaishnava Janato’, Troy Lissimore, said that despite many heartaches and heartbreaks, he felt proud, privileged and honored for his role in helping in the installation of the Gandhi Statue on the M.L.K.Jr. National Historic Site. The installation of the Mahatma Statue became a personal passion and would remain an abiding inspiration for the remaining life. It being Black History Month, he felt appropriate to draw comparisons between Mahatma Gandhi and the world-renowned black educator and agricultural chemist, Dr. George Washington Carver. Both were alike in appearance and stature. Dr. Carver was able to make many products out of lowly peanut and lowly sweet potato. Both were vegetarians. Interestingly, Gandhi wrote to him for advice wit his diet. When India was ravaged with polio, Gandhi again sought his advice for a cure for polio. Dr. Ralph Bunch, Nobel Prize Winner, pronounced Carver to be “the least imposing celebrity the world has ever known.” Echoing this, Mr. Lissimore described him as a man of genius. With his long, slim, nimble fingers like Gandhi, he became an expert in massage. Even US Presidents went to him for massage. This little man, in little Tuskegee, helped people around the world. Gandhi and Dr. Carver-it only shows how the world is interconnected.” he concluded.

In a succinct and forceful speech, Marta official Jawana Jackson, born and raised in Selma, Alabama, and daughter of civil rights leader Dr.Sullivan Jackson, spoke about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the American Civil rights movement by Dr. King. “The Indian freedom movement was taken as a blueprint for the American civil rights movement by Dr. King. Both were seekers of truth” she said. Jackson then recounted her father’s association with Dr. King. She narrated a journey the two had from Selma to Montgomery, when their car was tailed by another car with armed men inside (??) Dr. King coolly kept on talking about non-violence, trying to calm the fears of her father Sullivan Jackson who was driving. The other car finally moved past theirs, and the two reached Montgomery safely. Sullivan Jackson never really believed in the merits of non-violence and unfortunately Dr. King could not convert him to non-violence, she quipped.

Mahadev Desai, Publicity Director, for GFUSA, introduced Atlanta’s well-known journalist Ravi Ponangi, Community News Editor for India Tribune, who also manages the South-east operations of this newspaper. He is also very active in community service.

Ravi began by paying homage to the martyrs. “Those who laid their lives for India’s freedom ought not to be forgotten. A man is not dead until he is forgotten”, he said. Moving on to Republic celebrations, he recalled the joy of participating in the joyous celebrations in his young days as a student in India. He thanked Gandhi Foundation for observing Republic Day and organizing celebrations to mark the historic day. He also dwelt on the progress made by India since Independence and the improving relations between India and the US. cooperation between the two countries in Commerce and Industry, science and technology and in confronting international terrorism. He exhorted all to help India. “ Freedom does not lie in what we do, but what we should be doing. So let’s rededicate ourselves to make our countries happy, and secure, with a smile on billions of faces.” he said. 

Atlanta’s highly respected and accomplished author, speaker; and Prof. of Religion at Emory University Dr. Uma Majmudar paid homage to Gandhi. She read a poignant excerpt from her forthcoming book,” Gandhi’s pilgrimage of faith: From darkness to light”, about how as a child, she felt the day Gandhi was shot. She recounted her personal sadness and anguish on that heart wrenching day. “The whole country mourned like a widow that night which seemed longer and darker than any other night in the history of India.” Speaking about martyrs, she said Gandhi was different from other martyrs because his goal was higher than mere political freedom. He also strived for peace and communal harmony. Gandhi had said to his son Manu,” Call me a martyr if the name of Lord Ram comes to my lips as I die.” His premonition of death came true when like Martin Luther King, Jr. he died at the hands of people whom he hoped to change. He was a martyr with an inexhaustible power of the human soul. That power came from God. It was ignited by the divine light. In James Fowler’s words, “Gandhi was one of the rare examples of universalizing faith.” She read another excerpt from her book to stress the unique ‘soul force’ of the Mahatma. During the partition, to stop the carnage between Hindus and Muslims, 78 year old and frail Gandhi, went alone to volatile places like Bihar, Noakhali and Calcutta to put an end to unprecedented violence. And it worked. So impressed was Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, that he lauded him as a ‘one- man boundary force!’

GFUSA Executive Director, Giri Raj Rao, complimented Dr. Thrivikraman, for organizing the excellent program. He then spoke about his recent experiences in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the States that were most affected by the recent tsunami . He spoke in particular about the need for psychological reconstruction through counseling of the victims of the families. He went on to speak about the impressive strides taken by the Foundation in the year 2004 and the Foundation’s involvement in raising funds for the tsunami relief. “The Gandhi Foundation has raised a modest sum, out of which $350 was raised by the Youth Wing, and the process continues,” he said. Rao acknowledged the presence of India American Cultural Association (IACA) President Tushar Sanghvi, Asian-Pacific-American Council of Georgia (APAC) President Bala Pant and Atlanta’s well-known Kuchipudi danseuse Sasikala Penumarthi who with her troupe of The Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, Atlanta, will be performing a dance drama, based on Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s story ‘Chandalika’ at the Rialto Performing Arts Center, in July this year, for the Gandhi Foundation.

Tushar Sanghvi and Bala Pant shared their efforts to bring relief to the tsunami victims. Giri Raj also mentioned that he and GFUSA Deputy Executive Director Anthony Thaliath, while in Kochi, Kerala, met with Gandhi Peace Foundation’s sociologically conscious members, who are also admirers of Gandhi, and were heartened to note their efforts in trying to help the tsunami victims. 

GFUSA, Board of Directors and SAI Health Fair Co-ordinator, Dr Sujatha Reddy, received a gift from Raj Razdan on behalf of Smt.Geeta Raghu, for her generous patronage of the Gandhi Foundation. 

Vinita expressed Vote of Thanks, and Krishna Kali led the gathering in singing India’s National Anthem “Jana Gana Mana’.

The joyous, memorable celebrations concluded with serving of refreshments.