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Latest News Mr. Atul Kothari was interviewd by Marisa Ramirez of Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston on Wednesday, July 14, 2004. http://imgh.org"Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man." --Mahatma Gandhi Inside the modest room that houses the Mahatma Gandhi Library are replicas of the eye glasses, sandals and staff of the guru of peace and non-violence. They are the silent witnesses to the ambitious goal of the year old library in southwest Houston. "The mission of the library is to spread the gospel of truth to all by studying, learning, exploring, debating, reading, celebrating and commemorating the lives of individuals such as Gandhi," said Atul Kothari, founder and board chairman of the Library. The facility, located in Kothari's place of business, is both an expression of faith and a labor of love. It is his want to share the insight that he has discovered through the life and lessons of Gandhi. "Reading Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography provided me a moral compass to chart the course of my life," said Kothari. "It is my sincere desire that the rest of my life be spent practicing and preaching the gospel of truth. For this reason it's important for me to be involved in this endeavor." Shelves hold a collection of more than 100 copies of Gandhi's autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, as well as books and other resources related to peace and non-violence. The collection also features books and other materials from other advocates of non-violence such as Leo Tolstoy and Martin Luther King, Jr. There is also a special effort to provide information for children and youth. "One of our primary goals is to reach children," said Kothari. "One of the initiatives we have undertaken is to bring to life children related projects promoting moral principles such as truth, non-violence, love, service, peace and justice." Materials are available in print, video, CD or DVD. Visitors will also find a children's selection with puzzles, posters, pictures and other items related to Gandhi. In addition, the public is invited to monthly meetings on the first Saturday of every month to discuss portions of Gandhi's autobiography. As part of its outreach efforts, officials with the Mahatma Gandhi Library along with the Jain Society of Houston, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston and a host of other groups are planning a weeklong celebration of Gandhi. From September 27th through October 3rd activities across Houston will focus on the life and lessons of Gandhi. "Students are especially encouraged to participate in a speech and essay contest," said Julie Eberly, IM Community Outreach Director. "This is an opportunity for our future leaders to explore the life of this important man and express their impressions of his life in spoken and written word." First place for both contests is a trip to the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Non-Violence in Nashville, Tennessee (for more information, see www.imgh.org ). Mahatma Gandhi Week is planned annually by the Indian community to create greater awareness of ideals for which Gandhi stood. This year's festivities include a mural painting by a Houston Community College art class, performances by Indian singers and dancers, readings and a viewing of the movie "Gandhi." Though the library has been operating for about a year, few outside of the Indian community are aware of its efforts. The Gandhi Week festivities this year are a concerted effort to participate in community wide projects and festivals that promote peace, justice and non-violence while raising awareness of the Library's goals. "In today's day and time the life is hectic. So if people cannot come to the library then we will take the library to them, said Kothari. "This helps to network with organizations, groups and individuals espousing moral principles." Though visitors are welcomed to come to the library office (3300 S. Gessner, suite 249) to review or check out materials, library officials aim to make it easy to access the information. The catalogue is available online at www.gandhilibrary.org. Visitors may request materials by phone, email or mail. Items can be sent to an individual's home, and returned in a postage paid envelope. "We would like to bring about a greater awareness of Mahatma Gandhi's ideals and teachings to the community at large…to build a peaceful world," said Kothari. The Gandhi Week Essay and Speech contest is open to all Houston students. For more information click here. |
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| A 501(C)(3) non-profit organization, Fed Tax ID # 02-0643033 |
