Glen Fernandes
On October 2, we honour a man whose shoes we may never fill, but whose footsteps we can certainly follow—Mahatma Gandhi. He wasn’t a superhero with capes or magic powers; he didn’t need them. His superpower was simplicity. What is his weapon of choice? Non-violence.
A man, lean, wrapped in a simple cloth, walking with a stick in hand—not to fight, but to lead. And he led millions, not by force but by faith. Gandhi’s non-violent walk wasn’t just a stroll in the park; it was a march towards freedom, truth, and justice. His journey was one in which silence spoke louder than guns and peace proved mightier than war. And guess what? People followed. Men, women, and children all walking side by side, not to fight but to make a point: “We don’t need violence to win our freedom.” The walk was long, but the message was powerful—change comes through persistence and not punches.
Gandhi’s non-violent path wasn’t just for the British. It’s for all of us. Life can throw stones at us, but Gandhi teaches us to throw back peace. When someone wrongs us, our first instinct might be to lash out, but what if we tried the Gandhian way? Respond with calmness, with kindness. After all, “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind,” Gandhi said.
He believed that peace could disarm even the fiercest enemy. By aligning his mission with the hopes, dreams, and frustrations of the people, he turned individual actions into a nationwide movement.
He was also a master strategist who understood the Indian mindset deeply. He knew that India’s strength lay not in weapons, but in its people. He didn’t try to fit Indians into a ready-made strategy and had a unique ability to transform ordinary, passive people—what some might call “sleeping cows”—into “galloping horses” of action and purpose. Instead of focusing on what people couldn’t do, Gandhi tapped into what they could and created a movement that fit the people’s culture, beliefs, and limitations.
He knew that people work best when they believe in the cause, when their everyday efforts connect to a larger purpose. He showed us that the best leaders don’t always need to command armies; sometimes, they just need to understand people and their needs.
So, on Gandhi’s birthday, let’s remember the power of the non-violent walk. In today’s fast-paced world, walking Gandhi’s way might seem like walking backwards. But think about it: in a race, people run past each other. But in a walk, you can walk with someone, side by side, listening, understanding, growing together. Isn’t that what the world needs more of? Let’s walk with peace in our hearts, with truth on our lips and with courage in our steps. And who knows? Maybe one peaceful step at a time, we can change the world too, just like Gandhi did—without ever raising a fist. The non-violent walk wasn’t just about freedom—it was about how to inspire and lead with wisdom and compassion.