Page 38 - The Indian EYE 102023

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline OCTOBER 20, 2023 | The Indian Eye 38

Gandhi Memorial Foundation celebrates

Gandhi Jayanti for Non-Violence

OUR BUREAU
Chicago, IL
he members of Gandhi Memo-
rial Foundation, Chicago cele-
Tbrated Mahatma Gandhi Ji life
on Gandhi Jayanti where the life-size
monument of Gandhiji was located
in the Heritage Park, Skokie, Illinois
on October 02, 2023. Dr. Santosh Ku-
mar, the President of Gandhi Memo-
rial Foundation, Dr. Shriram Sonty,
Vice President, Mr. Suresh Bodiwala,
the Chairman, and Mrs. Dipti Shah,
the treasurer of Gandhi Memorial
Foundation along with invited guests,
Somnath Ghosh, the Counsel Gener-
al of India, George Van Dusen, the message.” Counsel also mentioned a when the life- size statue of Mahatma and self-sacrifice, the man who encap-
Mayor of Skokie and State Senator book, “A Promised Land” written by Gandhi ji “an icon to world peace” sulated the true spirit of humanity and
Ram Villivalam, Dist. 8, Mr. Prayag Mr. Barack Obama when he was the was introduced in Skokie Park, with nationalism, the man who drove away
Raj, Vedic Acharya and over fifty el- President of the US. He emphasized about 1500 people in attendance and the mighty British Empire from India
derly seniors and staff members from that President Obama, in the book, a hovering helicopter that dropped with his non-violent approach, and fi-
Metropolitan Asian Family Services, talked about someone who asked him rose petals. A unique floral tribute to nally, a man who became famous as a
Chicago, Niles, and Schaumburg sites that in the entire sweep of human such an auspicious occasion! Father of our Country India.
got together there to honor and to pay history, if he was to meet one person, Mr. Bodiwala emphasized the Promoting Gandhian ideals, Dr.
homage to the Father of our Country who would he like to meet! President fact that Dr. Chandrakant Modi, a Kumar asked everyone to uphold his
Mahatma Gandhi, Bapu, with great Obama’s answer was Gandhi. prominent member of South Asian principles in our personal and socie-
love, enthusiasm and joy. Dr. Sonty Sriram remembered Community, Chicago who put forth tal lives with “Simple living and high
In his opening remarks, Counsel his visit last year to the Pietermaritz- a great effort in 2004 for having the thinking” …one person, one town,
Gosh recognized Gandhiji as a polit- burg Railway Station in South Africa Gandhiji Statue at the Heritage Park, one country, and finally the whole
ical ethicist having an enormous im- to be a part of Human Rights cele- but because of his ill health, he was world can for sure. She gave an exam-
pact all over India and the world. He bration where Mahatma Gandhi was not able to join in the event. ple of such a person and admired Dr.
proudly talked about the impact Bapu a victim of racially discrimination and All invited guests including the Sriram Sonty for living such a life and
had on Martin Luther King, Jr. when was forcibly removed from a first- Senator Ram Villivalam and the following Gandhi Bapu’s footsteps.
he visited India in 1959. He stated class train compartment in 1893. Dr. members of Gandhi Memorial Foun- Mr. Raj, Vedic Acharya added the
that King, Jr. was greatly inspired by Sriram sang Gandhi’s favorite Bhajan dation praised Gandhiji for the kind spiritual element to what Dr. Kumar
Gandhiji and accepted Gandhiji as his “Veshnav Jan to Tene re Kahiye je of man that he was, the man who stated and asked everyone to read and
spiritual Guru, and acknowledged the Peed Parayi jane re..e..” as well. dedicated his life to the struggle for follow the philosophy of Gandhiji’s
fact that Gandhiji was one of the rare Mayor George Van Dusen re- freedom and justice, the man who ad- beloved book Shrimad Bhagwat Gita.
people who could say, “My life is my called a memorable ceremony in 2004 vocated for the path of peace, truth, -Asian Media USA

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