MISSION

Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal / Gandhi Book Centre is a GANDHIAN PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUST and is associated with the noble cause of spreading the word of Mahatma Gandhi (Bapu), th e greatest man of 20th century. Sarvodaya means welfare of all, and Mandal means board.

We believe that today is one of the darkest hours for humanity, but there is still a ray of hope. And that ray of hope would come to us by embracing and practising Bapu's philosophy and thoughts. It is often said that it would be hard for future generations to believe that such a man ever existed and walked the lands of earth.

Many people such as Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandella, Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi, etc. have followed the path shown by Bapu and have brought prosperity to themselves and their societies. It is often misunderstood that Gandhian principles are too hard to be followed by a common man. To break this myth we share success stories of common people who have followed Bapu's teachings and prospered. We believe that Bapu's teachings are much like science – they can be practised by anyone, anywhere, anytime, and would produce the same results – prosperity and welfare.

ACTIVITIES

We undertake various constructive programmes like Seminars, Workshops, Meetings, Youth Camps, etc. in pursuance of the teachings of Gandhi, Vinobaji and J.P.

» Complete Information on Mahatma Gandhi: www.mkgandhi.org

In-line with our mission we've put in tremendous efforts in making this site a supreme collection of information about Works, Life, Teachings, and Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.

Topics Include:

Philosophy | Gandhi E-Books | Gandhi Quotes | Gandhi Online Quiz | Photos | Articles on and by Gandhi | Chronolony - Timeline | Biography | Students' Projects | Famous Speeches | Online Books | Buy Books & CDs Online | Peace, Nonviolence & Conflict Resolution | Gandhi on Management | Gandhi and Cow | Multimedia and much more...

This is a comprehensive site for Researchers, Scholars, Activists, Students and all, with a large collection of links to get more information on Gandhi, Non-Violence, Peace and Conflict Resolution and is developed by non-profitable Gandhi Institution.

We have also started Gandhi website in HINDI, www.hindi.mkgandhi.org, for making the information accessible to a large audience.

» PROPAGATION OF GANDHIAN LITERATURE:

To educate and create awareness among people, we promote the sale of ethical literature pertaining to Gandhi, Vinoba and Sarvodaya by putting up book exhibitions at various public places, schools, colleges and institutions. We also sell thought provoking and spiritual books of other authors and children's books, so that their message reaches the masses. Every year, we hold a week-long exhibition-cum-sale of Gandhi books on special occasions like 2^nd October – Gandhi Birth Anniversary and 30^th January – Martyr's' Day and offer the books at a special discount of 50 per cent. All through the year, about 1.28 lakh books on and by Gandhi and related topics worth Rs. 30 lacs are sold by us.

» PEACE WORK:

In our constant endeavour to inculcate the spirit of Peace, Love and Brotherhood and to promote communal amity, we organise Peace Marches and Mass-Walks with the focus on crucial global issues like a Nuclear Free World, Nonviolence, Communal Harmony, and International Peace.

Every year, Peace Rally is organized on 6^th August to mark the anniversary of the devastation of Hiroshima with a deadly atomic attack by America during World War II, showing solidarity with the people of the world seeking a nuclear-free world.

Between 1,29,000 and 2,25,000 people were killed in the deadly atomic attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by America during World War II. The aim of the programme was to aware the students about the devastating effects of nuclear bombing and join hands with the millions of people of the world in their prayers to make a peaceful and nuclear-free world.

» YOUTH CAMPS:

Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal has been organizing ‘Personality Development and Character-building Youth Camps’ for the past thirty years in Mumbai and in various districts of Maharashtra. About 300-400 students participate every year in these youth camps. Given the current environment of increasing violence, unemployment, and social unrest, these camps aim to instill the values of self-reliance among students, develop their personalities, introduce them to Gandhian principles, and channel their energy towards social welfare. We seek to foster a sense of peace, love, and brotherhood, cultivate cleanliness and happiness, and raise awareness about the continued relevance of Gandhi’s teachings among them. These camps have been proving to be valuable in enlisting new volunteers for the propagation of Gandhian ideas.

» GANDHI PEACE EXAMINATION FOR SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS

Youth today is indiscriminately bombarded with negative emotions of selfishness, hatred, vengeance and violence through T.V., mobile and video games. Gandhiji's life and literature is still the best source of inspiration for us to inculcate the values of love, brotherhood, truth, friendship, service, tolerance, non-violence and fearlessness into the next generation and motivate them to look for non-violent means of conflict resolution. With this in mind, Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal organizes Gandhi Peace Exam for school and college students all over Maharashtra to bring about a radical change in the thinking of youth and to channelize their energies in re-vitalising society. About 60,000 students appeared for Gandhi Peace Exam in the year gone by.

» GANDHI PEACE EXAMINATION FOR PRISONERS IN JAIL

To evoke the sense of remorse through inculcation of moral values in minds of under-trials and make them realize the power of truth and non-violence, Gandhi Peace Exam is also conducted in Jails of Maharashtra. Not only prisoners, but Jail officials also appeared for the exam. We have got an extremely encouraging response from prisoners and this year about 1452 prisoners with many jail officials appeared for Gandhi Peace Exam.

» INTERNATIONAL NON-VIOLENCE DAY

Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal is organizing various programmes to commemorate 'International Non-violence Day' on 2^nd October as declared by UN from 2007. On this day, Colleges and Universities of different states all over India organise various programmes involving three to four lakh students every year in accordance with the ideas and guidance received from Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal.

Mandal sent a letter to all the Universities in India along with a series of activities that may be organised to celebrate 'International Non-violence Day'. In response to our call, colleges from different states organised various programmes and about three to four lakh students participated in the celebration every year.

In 2009, as a part of the celebration of 'International Non-violence Day', Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal and Gandhi Peace Centre, Australia jointly organised Gandhi Peace Competition in India and Australia to provide a platform for creative people to show their creative talents on various Gandhian, social and environmental issues through logos, posters, creative writing etc. More than 2000 people participated in this competition.

» PROMOTION OF VILLAGE PRODUCTS:

Village industries are promoted by encouraging the production and sale of Khadi clothes, honey, soap, leather goods, ghani oils, etc. This is to provide the village with a means to arrest the exodus of their youngsters to the city in search for employment.
The Gandhi Book Centre is also one of the largest sources of Gandhian Literature, Photographs, etc.