Gandhi gift to encourage unity and reflection

UNSW now has its own Gandhi statue, MAMTA SHARMA reports.

(l-r) NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal, Professor Fred Hilmer and Indian Consul-General Amit Dasgupta

The still, small voice of Mahatma Gandhi entailing peace, equality, friendship, truth and non-violence has defied time and spoken through the ages, echoing through the hearts and minds of millions of people worldwide. Transcending the same message of lasting friendship and solidarity, the peace hero of the 20th century, has made his presence at the UNSW Library Lawn in the form of a cast iron sculpture.

India and Australia have shared friendship and collaboration in a wide spectrum of areas but the relationship turned uneasy after the attacks on Indian students in Victoria last year. In an effort to foster greater understanding, co-operation and goodwill between the two countries, the Indian Government has generously donated the bust of Mahatma Gandhi to the people of New South Wales.

Addressing the gathering at the official unveiling of the bust at the UNSW Library Lawn on September 1, UNSW President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Frederick Hilmer said that it symbolizes cooperation between the students of both countries and the growing Indo-Australian cultural relationship. 

“Gandhi’s values and ethos like non-violence, truth and equality are fit for the UNSW. The University was rightly chosen for the bust, as it reflects deep and continuing ties with India,” he added. 

Elaborating on the significance of the day (Wattle Day) chosen for the unveiling, Professor Hilmer said, “The wattles are usually the first pioneer plants to rise from the ashes of bushfires and provide protection for other seedlings growing underneath in a natural succession of the bush. The wattle will be a lasting symbol of student safety at UNSW. The unveiling of the bust on this day symbolizes the self respect and friendship we have for each other. It symbolizes the day when the first flower blossomed after the bushfire faced by the two countries in the wake of student attacks last year.”

The golden wattle, Acacia pycnantha, is the national emblem of Australia. Like Australians themselves, wattles are diverse – there are nearly 1000 different species of all shapes and sizes found all over the country, yet all recognisable as part of the same family. The wattle isn’t tied to a particular historical event or any one group of people; it is a unifying symbol that all Australians can share.

The Gandhi bust was officially unveiled by Professor Hilmer, NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal and THE Consul General of India (Sydney) Amit Dasgupta at the UNSW Library Lawn.

The area where the Gandhi bust sits has been designed by Richard Johnson, eminent architect and part of faculty in UNSW. Professor Hilmer said Johnson wanted the place to be simple and a sanctum, and hence chose the Library Lawn of the University. He placed the statue at eye level, keeping in mind the fact that Gandhi believed in equality of all and never looked down upon anyone. The bust carries a quote from the Mahatma: “An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind.”

Stating that Mahatma Gandhi is a great source of inspiration even today, Mr Roozendaal said, “The great friendship that India and Australia share was tested recently in the wake of the student attacks, but it still stands strong. International education programs are not just about providing education, but they also lead to international understanding and opportunities for cultural exchange between countries. NSW is at the fore front of providing a rewarding, enriching and safe experience to international students and is committed to providing quality education at the same time. ”

Quoting Gandhi’s famous words – Be the change you want to see in the world – the treasurer reiterated that it is this change we want to see in international students, no matter where they are from.

Along with the bust, the Indian government has also donated a book collection of contemporary India to the UNSW library. The literary treasure includes some of the best works of Indian writers such as, Sea of poppies (by Amitav Ghosh), Six Suspects (by Vikas Swarup), The Enchantress of Florence (by Salman Rushdie), The Inheritance of Loss (by Kiran Desai), Unaccustomed Earth (by Jhumpa Lahiri),  Gitanjali (song offerings by Rabindranath Tagore), Sacred Games (by Vikram Chandra), In the Land of the Blue Jasmine (by Amit Dasgupta), The Japanese Wife (by Kunal Basu), Tales of the Open Road  (by Ruskin Bond), Mulla Nasruddin (by Sampurna Chattarji) and The Stranger (by Satyajit Ray), among several others. Thanking Indian Consul General Amit Dasgupta and the Indian community for the donation, UNSW Librarian Andrew Wells said, “Students and staff of UNSW will appreciate the book collection including the works in contemporary and cultural Indian literature, and we will make sure that we keep building on that collection.”

Terming the unveiling of Gandhi bust an “emotional moment”, Indian Consulate General Amit Dasgupta said, “2009 was a terrible year due to the attacks on Indian students, but an unintended consequence of that bad time was that it focused on recognizing what India and Australia meant to each other. Both countries share a strong relationship and collaboration in universities, research and various other areas.” 

With so much ongoing violence and intolerance in the world, he added, Gandhi’s tools of peace, non-violence and truth continue to be as relevant today these were during his lifetime.

Taking about the quotation on the Gandhi bust, Mr. Dasgupta said, “The quotation appears to capture one of the greatest contributions of Gandhi…shift the thought paradigm, think different. It is this element of thinking differently that the bust captures. The UNSW Library Lawn is a place where the University members and faculty help young minds to think differently and shift their thought paradigm. There could have been no better place for the Gandhi bust.”

Concluding his address he said, “While Gandhi was born in India he belongs to every one of you.”

UNSW Indian Cultural Association Student Awards were also presented at the occasion by Professor Hilmer and Mr. Roozendaal. Prasant Misra, currently doing his PhD in Computer Science, was awarded the Best International Indian Student Academic Achievement Award. Amit Ranjan, a Jawaharlal Nehru University (India) student, bagged the award for Best Visionary Article about India, and Binesh Puthen Veetil was presented with the Best Visionary Article Award about Indian Students’ contributions to Australia and India.