Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Mahatma Gandhi’s principles would continue to remain relevant for generations, describing them as deeply connected with India’s values, traditions and way of life.
Addressing the 72nd convocation of Gujarat Vidyapith in Ahmedabad, Shah urged graduating students to carry Gandhi’s teachings into their personal, professional and public lives. He said Gandhi’s message was not borrowed from outside but emerged from India’s longstanding knowledge and cultural traditions.
Shah recalled that Gandhi founded Gujarat Vidyapith in 1920 with the vision of developing an education system rooted in Indian languages, culture, labour and national purpose. He described the institution as a place where education was connected with practical life, with farms, workshops, villages and society serving as classrooms.
According to Shah, meaningful education must develop the hand, heart and mind together. Skills should be developed through the hands, compassion through the heart, while knowledge must be combined with wisdom. He warned that knowledge without wisdom can lead to arrogance, whereas knowledge guided by wisdom creates humility and scholarship.
He also urged students to remember Gandhi’s principles concerning ethical politics, morality in business, honest labour, responsible use of wealth, restraint, character, humanity in science and sacrifice in worship.
Shah highlighted Gandhi’s 11 vows, including truth, non violence, non stealing, physical labour, fearlessness, respect for all religions, Swadeshi and the removal of untouchability. He said these principles continued to offer guidance in modern society.
The minister also spoke about Gandhi’s emphasis on khadi, cleanliness, Indian languages, village development and Gram Swaraj. He said people should learn foreign languages while remaining confident in their mother tongue, which connects them with their cultural identity and heritage.
Shah noted that khadi and village industries had expanded significantly in recent years, reflecting the continuing importance of self reliance and local enterprise.
He called upon the graduates to apply Gandhi’s ideals in their lives and contribute to a stronger, more ethical and socially responsible India.
