A lean old man with a stick in his hand and a cloth drapped around him, won India its freedom -- freedom from bondage, slavery, imperialism. Britain ruled India for a long time unless Gandhi emerged on the scene to bring the country under its own rule. It is not that India did not have freedom fighters. In fact, the contribution of those numerable and innumerable freedom fighters who laid their lives for winning India freedom cannot be ignored. Yet, the brightest jewel of all will remain MAHATMA GANDHI.

Gandhi is such an icon for the youth that showed the spirit of glory and way to freedom to the Indians. Gandhi was a light for the people in dark. he came back to India in his full attire after winning the rights for different races in South Africa. But the sight of poverty and depravity made his heart to bleed and he relinquished his attire and wore a dhoti that was to be his only attire therefater.

He saw his countrymen struggling against the brutal British regime. He took it to himself to fight for their rights and make them struggle for attaining independence from the savage regime. It was not a cakewalk. But, a determined person as GANDHI never let the spirit of gaining independece for his country die. His speeches encouraged people, both literates and illiterates. He won the freedom for his country with his intellect and never die spirit, which lit the fire to struggle in the Indians. And his weapons were so unique -- satyagrah in his own terms. He did not possess nukes or atom bombs or AK-47 or 56 rifles, he didnt even have a schoolboy's gun, what all he had as his exemplary weapon was his patience and non-violence. He taught us patience, love for all, politeness, sacrifice, non-violence, committment, and today's world teaches hatred, illwill, violence, impatience, and hunger for power.

Today, I wanna know how many of us follow GANDHI in real sense. How many of us are ardent followers of the MAHATMA?

Had GANDHI been alive today, he would have cried witnessing the sight of depravity, apathy, brutality, selfishness, hunger for power ruling this world. We need MAHATMA today. We need his principles, not only on paper but also in practice.

ARE WE READY TO TREAD THE PATH MAHATMA GANDHI SHOWED US? I am certain that if we follow GANDHISM, it will certainly lead us to peace that we very dearly cherish.

Let us wish that the spirit of this icon of nonviolence rests in peace always. It is his martyrdom day today [30 January].. the day a man, NATHURAM GODSE, pumped bullets into the chest of the FATHER of the Nation [INDIA].