Op-Ed in Pioneer, 17 April 2007
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The making of the Mahatma
Second opinion: Ram Gopal
This has reference to the reviews of various books on Gandhi published in The Pioneer on March 25. Over 300 biographies, numerous books and papers have been written on Gandhi. <b>Yet, what or who made a Mahatma out of him remains unanswered.</b>
<b>Gandhi left South Africa for India via England on July 18, 1914, on the advice of then Viceroy Lord Hardinge through a missive by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, according to DG Tendulkar's book, Mahatma, vol I. The book says that Gandhi reached England on August 6, 1914. On August 8, Gandhi's "British and Indian admirers" gave a grand reception to him at Cecil Hotel. There, "letters of regret for their unavoidable absence were received from the Premier, Secretary of State for India, (Lords) Gladstone, Curzon, Lamington, Ampthill."</b>
<b>Why did Gandhi go to London and stay there for four long months when his destination was India?</b> Was it the British who wanted to train him to confront stalwarts like Bal Gangadhar Tilak <b>to change the course of the Congress from a confrontationist path of Swaraj to its original path of conciliation?</b>
Before their departure from England, Gandhi and his wife were entertained at a farewell reception at the Westminster Palace Hotel. Both of them sailed for India on December 19, 1914. Tendulkar writes, <b>"Gandhi landed in Bombay on January 9, 1915. The Indian leaders met him on the steamer upon its arrival, and his landing took place, by permission of the authorities, at the Apollo Bunder - an honour shared with Royalty by Viceroys and India's most distinguished sons... As soon as Gandhi touched Indian soil, he took to Swadeshi dress, a Kathiawadi cloak, turban and dhoti, all made of Indian mill cloth. His arrival was widely publicised."</b> Who made the publicity of Gandhi's arrival? Who told him to put off his English dress and put on a Kathiawadi cloak?
<b>On June 3, 1915, </b>much before Gandhi had done anything either for India's freedom struggle or the Crown, <b>the British Government conferred on him</b> the honorific title, <b>Kaiser-i-Hind.</b> <b>Before joining the Congress in 1919, Gandhi undertook a two-year long tour of the country on the Indian Railways. The Government had issued instructions to all station masters to provide him all facilities he needed.</b>
A true assessment of Gandhi will be incomplete without a probe into the British hand in making him an icon.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There could be a simple reason for all this but is needed to be made public.
Can someone look up who all got the K-e-H title and for what services?
Gandiji returned the K-e-H medal in 1920. Most likely due to Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The making of the Mahatma
Second opinion: Ram Gopal
This has reference to the reviews of various books on Gandhi published in The Pioneer on March 25. Over 300 biographies, numerous books and papers have been written on Gandhi. <b>Yet, what or who made a Mahatma out of him remains unanswered.</b>
<b>Gandhi left South Africa for India via England on July 18, 1914, on the advice of then Viceroy Lord Hardinge through a missive by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, according to DG Tendulkar's book, Mahatma, vol I. The book says that Gandhi reached England on August 6, 1914. On August 8, Gandhi's "British and Indian admirers" gave a grand reception to him at Cecil Hotel. There, "letters of regret for their unavoidable absence were received from the Premier, Secretary of State for India, (Lords) Gladstone, Curzon, Lamington, Ampthill."</b>
<b>Why did Gandhi go to London and stay there for four long months when his destination was India?</b> Was it the British who wanted to train him to confront stalwarts like Bal Gangadhar Tilak <b>to change the course of the Congress from a confrontationist path of Swaraj to its original path of conciliation?</b>
Before their departure from England, Gandhi and his wife were entertained at a farewell reception at the Westminster Palace Hotel. Both of them sailed for India on December 19, 1914. Tendulkar writes, <b>"Gandhi landed in Bombay on January 9, 1915. The Indian leaders met him on the steamer upon its arrival, and his landing took place, by permission of the authorities, at the Apollo Bunder - an honour shared with Royalty by Viceroys and India's most distinguished sons... As soon as Gandhi touched Indian soil, he took to Swadeshi dress, a Kathiawadi cloak, turban and dhoti, all made of Indian mill cloth. His arrival was widely publicised."</b> Who made the publicity of Gandhi's arrival? Who told him to put off his English dress and put on a Kathiawadi cloak?
<b>On June 3, 1915, </b>much before Gandhi had done anything either for India's freedom struggle or the Crown, <b>the British Government conferred on him</b> the honorific title, <b>Kaiser-i-Hind.</b> <b>Before joining the Congress in 1919, Gandhi undertook a two-year long tour of the country on the Indian Railways. The Government had issued instructions to all station masters to provide him all facilities he needed.</b>
A true assessment of Gandhi will be incomplete without a probe into the British hand in making him an icon.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There could be a simple reason for all this but is needed to be made public.
Can someone look up who all got the K-e-H title and for what services?
Gandiji returned the K-e-H medal in 1920. Most likely due to Jallianwala Bagh massacre.