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  • Name : Prof K.Sitamanikyam
  • Designation : Director
  • Phone :
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"I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows and doors to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible.." Mahatma Gandhi's life represents a remarkable journey and personal transformation from a shy, young lawyer in South Africa to the venerated, fearless liberator of India from British rule. Gandhi while advocating the universal principle of love also practiced it in his every day life. For Gandhi, all means and ends should be infused with love and respect for fellow beings. While practising and preaching this principle of means and ends matter, he never took any short-cuts to achieve his goal. His concepts of non-violence, satyagraha influenced many world leaders. The life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi have lasting impact especially on the humanity of modern age. His life bears a living testimony upholding human values. The modern world is passing through the critical phase. People are living in a society of war, terrorism, inequality and injustice. The Gandhi technique of non-violence offers the most effective remedial measure to all evils. It also promotes equality, reverence for life, mutual trust, social justice and universal brotherhood. In view of the significance and applicability of Gandhi's Philosophy and the profound impact he made on the 21st century, there is a need to uphold the values and ideals of Gandhi and make the students better acquainted with his thought and be enthused to take up research on Gandhi. The UGC has sanctioned Gandhian Studies Centre to Andhra University during the Xth Plan to propagate Gandhian ideals among students, staff and the general public and conduct research on Gandhism. The Centre is housed in the Social Sciences Block and it was inaugurated on 2nd October 2004 by Prof. V.L. Kulandiai Swamy, the Chief Guest of Gandhi Jayanthi Celebration 2004 in the presence of Prof. Y.C. Simhadri, the then Vice-Chancellor who made relentless efforts to have the Centre in this University.


Objectives:

  • To propagate social and political ideas of Mahatma Gandhi and other great leaders of Indian freedom movement to students and other members of the society.
  • To conduct research on the political and economic ideas of Gandhi, Indian Freedom Movement, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development and other issues which were dear to Mahatma Gandhi.
  • To publish books, booklets and articles on Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Freedom Movement and Rural Development.
  • To conduct short term and long term courses, workshops, symposiam, seminars and orientation programmes to various target groups on different dimensions of Gandhian Thought.
  • To establish a documentation center and library on Gandhian Philosophy and related subjects.
  • To analyze and interpret the relevance of Gandhian Philosophy and apply it to contemporary problems.

Library:


The centre has more than 900 books written by Gandhi and on Gandhi. The books are issued to the scholars, teachers and students The Centre regularly conducts Short Term courses on "Gandhian Communication" for the students of University constituent colleges and general public. The Centre publishes GANDHIAN VISION, an international journal of Peace and Gandhian studies. Dr. K Sita Manikyam, Professor & Chairperson, Board of Studies of Law, is currently the Director of the Gandhian Studies Centre.




Advisory Committee of the Centre :



Chairman : Vice-Chancellor, Andhra University

Members:
Prof. G. Hara Gopal, UGC Nominee, Central University, Hyderabad
Prof. Smt. K. Gayatri Devi, Principal, College of Arts & Commerce, Andhra University
Prof. K. Rama Mohana Rao, Registrar, Andhra University
Sri K.S. Sastry, Freedom Fighter & Gandhian
Prof. K. Visweswara Rao, Dept. of Social Work, Andhra University
Prof. K. Srinivasa Rao, Co-ordinator, UGC Cell, Andhra University
Prof. T.Sobha Sri , Director, Gandhian Studies Centre, Andhra University

Activities of the Centre: Observance of Gandhi Jayanthi & Martyrdom Day: The Centre organizes Sutra Yagnam (Spinning yarn), multi-faith prayer meetings, Prabhat Beri and seminars on these two days to mark these occasions. Summer course: It offers summer courses on Gandhi to the school children in the months of April and May. It is of one-week duration and free of cost. Part-time Certificate course: It offers part-time Certificate course (evening). The course is of three months duration and free of cost. Teaching is done in English and Telugu. One-day orientation programmes: The Centre conducts one-day orientation programme for school teachers, Sarvodaya leaders, NSS programme Officers, students, lawyers, Self Help Groups and NGO functionaries. Lecture Series, Workshops & Seminars: It organizes lectures by inviting prominent Gandhians, Gandhian writers and academicians to discuss different dimensions of Gandhian thought. The centre also conducts seminars and workshops on Gandhian Thought. Visiting Faculty: It invites academicians, Gandhian scholars and writers as visiting fellows to address the faculty, students and scholars on Gandhian Ideology. Discussion on Autobiography:The centre holds continuous discussion on Mahatma Gandhi’s book, My Experiments with Truth in schools. It circulates the book among students, gives them one week time to read and then conducts discussion on the book. Essay, Elocution and drawing competitions: The centre organizes essay, elocution and drawing competitions to the school children and college students Screening of Films: The centre arranges screening of films on Gandhi on important days and also in the orientation programmes conducted by the centre. Exhibitions: The centre organizes Photo exhibitions on Mahatma Gandhi and his role in the freedom movement. Net working: The Centre networks with NGOs, Gandhian centres, Sarvodaya Mandals, Loksevak sangh branches and freedom fighters to propagate the theme of Grama Swaraj as enunciated by Mahatma Gandhi. Research: To encourage research on Gandhian thought, the centre offers two fellowships of Rs. 10,000/- each(one time) to M.Phil and Ph.D scholars. Development of Literature: The Centre develops literature on Gandhian thought and other aspects in the regional language (Telugu). Monographs: It encourages faculty members and scholars top write monographs on different aspects of Gandhian Thought. The centre proposes to adopt a village to put its precepts into practice. The Centre envisages transforming the village into a Open Defecation and alcohol free village. It also plans to highlight the importance of Conflict Resolution through peaceful means. Ongoing Research: The Centre is collecting songs (both folk and cinema songs), short stories, novels, cartoons, poems written on Gandhi and the news of visit of Mahatma Gandhi in the districts of Andhra Pradesh, and publish it into a book for the benefit of future research and posterity. The centre is also collecting information relating to the research activity done on Mahatma Gandhi (both M.Phil & Ph.Ds and research projects) from all the Indian Universities with a view to bring to light the amount of research done on Mahatma and to enable future researchers to grasp the necessity of taking the neglected areas of Gandhian Thought. Publications: Hind Swaraj – Content and Context Some Reflections on Gandhian Thought (Ed) Revisited Gandhi Gandhian Ideology and Modern World Quotable Quotes of Gandhi Quotes of Mahatma Mahatmuni Prastanam (Telugu) Gandhi Suktulu (Teligu) Gandhi, Peace and Journalism Conflict Resolution, Peace and Gandhi Gandhi in the eyes of foreigners Journal: The centre publisheses biannual a Journal : THE GANDHIAN VISION (Internatonal Journal of Peace and Gandhian Studies) with ISSN NO : 2393 9486 to provide a forum to discus Gandhian Philosophy and its relevance to the present context Proposed publications: Gandhian Ideology: A Multi disciplinary Perspective Globalization, Governance and Gandhi The Philosophy of Mahatma