Annual Report 2017 – 2018

CENTRE FOR GANDHIAN STUDIES ALPHONSA COLLEGE PALA, KERALA

Introduction

Established in 2008 with the assistance of the University Grants Commission, the Centre for Gandhian Studies in Alphonsa College continued its efforts to promote the study and dissemination of the thought, values and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. It organized various academic, student support and extension programmes based on different aspects of Gandhian thought and values.

Advisory Committee

The following are the members of the Advisory Committee of the Centre:

Dr. Alice Jose, Principal, Alphonsa College.

Dr. M. S. John, Professor of International Relations, Centre for Global Studies, Central University of Kerala, Kasargod and Editor, Gandhi Marg.

Dr. M.P.Mathai, Professor, Gujarat Vidyapith and former Professor and Director, School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University.

Ms. Alleymol Sebastian, Associate Professor, Department of English, Alphonsa College.

Ms. Rosmy Kattoor, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Alphonsa College.

Dr. Teresa Joseph, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science; and Director, Centre for Gandhian Studies, Alphonsa College.

A meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Centre was held on 2 June 2017. Detailed discussions were held on the programmes to be organised during the year. Another meeting of the Advisory Committee held on 13 March 2018 evaluated the activities of the Centre over the last one year. The programmes were well appreciated. The Annual Report as well as the financial statement of accounts of the Centre were also perused and approved.

Gandhi Forum

Gandhi Forum, an organization of students functioning under the auspices of the Centre for Gandhian Studies, strives to promote an understanding of the values and ideals upheld by Mahatma Gandhi, and spearheads all the activities of the Centre. It provides an avenue for the all-round development of members, with their active participation in all the activities of the Centre. Members of the forum are also encouraged and deputed to participate in programmes organized by other institutions that promote an understanding of Mahatma Gandhi. 71 students joined the Gandhi Forum during 2017-18. The Executive Committee of the Forum was reconstituted and the following office bearers were elected for the academic year 2017-18: President: Sneha George, II DC Economics Vice President: Anakha Saji, II DC English Secretary: Reshma Mariam Santhosh, II DC Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics

Library and Reading Room

The library and reading room maintained by the Centre has total collection of 1300 books, 150 of which were purchased during 2017-18. This collection covers diverse themes that are relevant to the ideas and philosophy of the father of the nation. Besides books written on and by Mahatma Gandhi the collection includes books on Indian history, polity and society, international peace and security, women‟s studies, environmental studies, human rights, etc. The Centre also has a collection of audio-visual CDs on Mahatma Gandhi, his speeches, collected works, favourite music, etc. Several documentary as well as feature films in both English and Malayalam on Mahatma Gandhi and issues of concern to him such as communalism, international conflict, militarisation, etc. are also available at the Centre.

ACTIVITIES 2017-18

National Workshop on Gandhian Leadership

Acknowledging the fact that the Gandhian model of leadership and Gandhi‟s philosophy are of increasing relevance today, the Centre organized a National Workshop on Gandhian Leadership on 14 and 15 December 2017. The programme was envisaged to provide students the opportunity to develop leadership qualities that can in the long term pave the way towards a just, egalitarian, sustainable society. It drew on Mahatma Gandhi‟s multifaceted leadership skills as well as the values that he espoused, and provided an opportunity for students to listen to distinguished leaders in various fields who could provide insights on leadership skills, drawing from their own life experiences.

Dr. Cyriac Thomas, former Vice Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi University inaugurated the programme. Resource persons included Dr. M.P.Mathai, Professor, Gujarat Vidyapith and Editor, Gandhi Marg; Sri. John Samuel, Executive Director, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development; Smt.

Sajini Mathews, Director, Snehibhavan; and Dr. S.P.Udayakumar, Co-ordinator, People‟s Movement Against Nuclear Energy.

Dr. M.P.Mathai spoke on the theme of Mahatma Gandhi and Leadership for Peace, while Sri. John Samuel discussed the Ethics of Leadership: Learning from the Past and Shaping the Future. Ms. Sajini Mathews gave a moving account of her life experiences and the circumstances that led her to work for children and the marginalised. Her presentation on Seventeen Years of Snehibhavan evoked an emotional response from the audience. In his presentation on The Three M Leadership: Mohandas, Martin and Malcolm, Dr. S.P.Udayakumar, spoke about the leadership of Malcom X, Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, highlighting the fact that they all fought for justice and equality.

A student presentation competition was also organized as part of the programme on the theme: Translating Ideas Into Action: Gandhian Leadership and Contemporary Social Issues. Meera Rajan and team of UC College, Aluva won the first prize with a cash award of Rs. 5000/-, Alka Maria Simon of Alphonsa College won the second prize with a cash award of Rs.3000/- and Aleena Vinoy and team of UC College, Aluva won the third prize with a cash award of Rs.1500/-. The progamme concluded with the planting of saplings on campus.

Special Lecture: Environment and the Future of Mankind

The Centre commemorated Environment Day on 5 June 2017 with a talk on Environment and the Future of Mankind by Rev. Dr. K.M.George, incumbent of the Paulos Mar Gregorios Chair, Mahatma Gandhi University and former Principal, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam. Dr. George stressed the point that the earth needs to be loved and respected. How much a person should consume is something determined by one‟s personal experiences. He introduced several books and poems on the environment and spoke in depth on the Gaia hypothesis, eco- spirituality, Arne Naess‟ concept of deep ecology, and Schumacher‟s „small is beautiful‟. He also spoke of the politics of sustainable development. A few saplings were also planted in the campus on the occasion.

Special Lecture: Colonial Modernity and Gandhi

A Special Lecture on Colonial Modernity and Gandhi by Dr. Mathew Joseph, Associate Professor, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi was organized by the Centre on 6 June 2017. Dr. Mathew Joseph emphasised the fact that Gandhi was one of the first people to highlight the problems of modernity. While most other national leaders of the time saw modernity as based on the western model, Gandhi felt that modernity has a natural development in any society. It was something that should develop/emerge from within not outside. Gandhi did not oppose modernity per se, but the constructed modernity of the British.

Special Lectures in Collaboration with Other Departments

In collaboration with the Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics a special lecture on the Importance of Adolescent Nutrition by Dr. Gayathri Ashokan, Consultant Dietician and Nutritionist and Founder of Nutrisolutions Health Care Clinic, Cochin was organised for students on 15 December 2017. A special lecture on Career Orientation by Michael Thomas, Assistant

Professor, St. Dominic‟s College, Kanjirappally was organised in collaboration with the Department of Botany on 23 February 2018. Sr. Pushpa Jose, former Principal, Teacher Training Institute, Mutholy, delivered a special lecture on the Problems of Adolescence. The programme was organized in collaboration with the Department of Physics on 12 March 2018.

Book: Deliberative Democracy: Understanding the Indian Experience

A feather in the cap for the Centre is the international publication of the book Deliberative Democracy: Understanding the Indian Experience. Edited by Dr. Teresa Joseph, Director, Centre for Gandhian Studies and Dr. Siby K. Joseph, Dean, Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha, the book is the outcome of the National Seminar on Deliberative Democracy and the Politics of Alternatives in India organized by the Centre in collaboration with the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha. The international edition of the book is published by Routledge, London and New York, and the South Asian edition by Manohar Publishers, New

Delhi.

Intercollegiate Short Film Competition: Be the Change You Want to See in the World

The Centre organized an intercollegiate short film competition on the theme: Be the Change You Want to See in the World. Ananthu K.Krishnan of St. Thomas College, Pala won the first prize with a cash award of Rs. 5000/- for the film – „Transforming Thought into Action‟, Sreehari Haridas of Yuvakshetra Institute of Management Studies, Palakkad won the second

7 prize with a cash award of Rs. 3000/- for the film „Hashtag‟, and George Thomas of KE College, Mannanam won the third prize of Rs. 1500/- for the film „Be the Change You Want to see in the World‟.

One Step – The Newsletter with a Difference

The fifth volume of One Step, the newsletter with a difference was published by the Centre in March 2018. It brings together the major programmes and activities of the Centre. It also highlights some important writings and quotations of Mahatma Gandhi, besides providing interesting anecdotes from Gandhi‟s life. One Step reinforces the efforts of the Centre to promote an awareness of Mahatma Gandhi‟s life as well as his philosophy and ideals, particularly among the student community.

Deputation of Gandhi Forum Members to All India University Students Camp in Wardha

Three members of the Gandhi Forum – Sneha George of II DC Economics, Anakha Saji of II DC English and Surya Janardhanan of II DC Botany were deputed to participate in the eight day All India University Students Camp organized by the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha, Maharashtra from 23rd to 30th December 2017. The camp included classes on various themes relating to Mahatma Gandhi and on issues of concern to him, group discussions on contemporary social issues, community services and cultural programmes. The camp also included a visit to Gandhi‟s ashram at Sevagram, the tomb of Acharya Vinobha Bhave, and Lakshminarayan temple.

Paryaptha 2017: Promoting Eco-friendly Self Reliance

The Centre organized Paryaptha 2017, the annual exhibition cum sale of handmade items by students and teachers on 6 December with the objective of inculcating the ideals of self- reliance, women empowerment and sustainable development among students. The programme was inaugurated by Ms. Annamma Kottukapally of Anns House of Sweets. Traditional food items, handicrafts, bags, jewelry, clothing, towels, organic fruits and vegetables, cane baskets, recycled art items, homemade detergents, etc. were on sale. As in the previous year, the focus on organizing an exhibition with „zero waste‟ was a prime objective. Items like plastic bags, disposable plates, cups and spoons, tissue papers and paper posters were prohibited. In spite of the challenges, the students proved that it is possible to conduct a spectacular exhibition without plastic or disposable items. Students used only banana leaves, bamboo glasses, bamboo straws, leaf plates, steel plates and cups, etc. Paper posters for publicity and sale were replaced by blackboards and leaf boards. Numerous innovative ideas for carrying forward the message of „zero waste‟ became major attractions. Another highlight of the programme was a stall by teachers, exhibiting items they had made themselves, which provided motivation to the students. The programme was able to highlight the possibility of organizing such events without leaving heaps of plastic and other

9 waste at the end of the day. The Economics Department won the prize for the Department that best embodied the spirit of Paryaptha and Divya Mary Das of I DC English won the prize for the student with the most innovative idea.

Intracollegiate Photography Competition: Be the Change You Want to See in the World

A photography competition on the theme Be the Change You Want to See in the World was organized for the students of the college. Anitha Kappen of II DC Economics and Jissa M George of II MA Politics won the first and second prizes respectively.

Gandhi Jayanthi

As part of Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations, a campus cleaning programme was organized by the Centre in association with the National Service Scheme on 29 September 2017. Booklets of the Centre on Green Living, The Perils of Plastic, Problems of Alcoholism, Right to Information, and Waste Management, published by the Centre were also distributed among the students. Members of the Gandhi Forum delivered messages about Mahatma Gandhi in every class in the campus.

A Gandhian Thought for the Day

In order to promote an understanding of Gandhian values among students, a quotation of Mahatma Gandhi is put up on the notice board every day as the „thought for the day‟. Quotations specifically focused on the all-round development of character, environment consciousness, faith in God, duties and responsibilities of students, peace, non-violence, sustainable development, women empowerment, etc.

Intracollegiate Quiz Competition Series on Mahatma Gandhi’s Autobiography

A series of Quiz competitions for the students of the college based on Mahatma Gandhi‟s autobiography were organized by Gandhi Forum members, Sneha George of II DC Economics and Reshma Mariam Santhosh of II DC Clinical Nutrition.

The Hero Programme: Gender Sensitisation Workshops for Boys

Women all over the world are often subjected to various kinds of violence regardless of their age, education or profession. Statistics of the Kerala State Crime Records Bureau reveal that during the period from January to April 2017, 5169 cases of crimes against women were reported across the state, including 668 cases of rape - i.e. approximately 5 cases of rape are reported every day. In 2016, 15,114 cases were reported in Kerala reflecting an increase of almost 3000 cases from 2015. These include instances of rape, molestation, kidnapping, eve teasing, dowry deaths, cruelty by relatives, etc. Unreported cases would take these figures much higher and this is only one aspect of the various kinds of violence being faced by women.

It is in this context that the Centre collaborated with the U.K. based educational charity – Action Breaks Silence, to bring the latter‟s ground-breaking gender sensitisation “Hero” workshops to young boys in Kerala. In January 2017 the first series of workshops held in five schools in Kottayam district received a very positive response from the students as well as teachers. Following the five successful pilot workshops, the second series of 24 workshops was held from 12th to 27th July 2017 in the following schools:

1. C.M.S. College HSS, Kottayam

2. St. Aloysius HSS, Athirampuzha 3. St. Mary‟s HSS, Kuravilangad 4. Government HSS, Panamattom 5. S.M.V. HSS, Poonjar 6. Pallikoodam, Kottayam 7. Holy Cross HSS, Cherpunkal 8. St. Joseph‟s UPS, Vellilapally 9. Our Lady of Lourdes HSS, Uzhavoor 10. Government VHSS, Kanakkary 11. M.D. Seminary HSS, Kottayam 12. St. Antony‟s HSS, Mutholy

The workshops were led by facilitators from Alphonsa College and St. Thomas College, Pala. Designed with the input of psychologists and specialists in the field, the workshops focused on breaking down traditional stereotypical views of women and opening their eyes to issues of gender stereotyping and violence against women and girls. The programme was designed so that its educational message was presented in a fun filled and interactive way. Through role-play, skits, visual images, group exercises and other interactive techniques the boys were taught to empathise - to develop the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, especially women – so that they are less

12 likely to engage in abusive and violent behaviour towards them. The programme was devised to address the roots of abuse and violence against women by breaking down stereotypes and helping participants to understand the importance of gender equality, building empathetic behaviour and attitudes, particularly towards women and girls. The workshops were inaugurated by the award winning writer Ms. K.R.Meera.

Training the Trainers – Intercollegiate Workshop on Gender Sensitisation

The „Hero‟ workshops on gender sensitisation for boys were led by a team of 30 selected student facilitators from Alphonsa College and St. Thomas College, Pala. The initial team of 11 students for the first series of workshops was expanded to 30 students for the second series. The selected students were given appropriate training through a two day workshop held on 10 and 11 July 2017. The training sessions were led by Debi Steven, Founder and President of Action Breaks Silence.

Booklet: Waste Management

A booklet on Waste Management written by Ms. Claramma Jacob, former Associate Professor, Department of Zoology, Alphonsa College was published by the Centre and distributed among students, teachers and the public. The booklet provides an overview of the different kinds of pollution and waste that is generated and gives a detailed account of different methods of solid waste management, particularly compost and the different ways of composting. It also gives a birdseye view of international waste management techniques and some of the initiatives being undertaken by the state government. The booklet was distributed among students and the public.

Gandhidarshan 2017 – Multimedia Exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi

The Centre organized Gandhidarshan-2017, a mutimedia exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi in collaboration with Ossannam Higher Secondary School at Kattappana on 30 November 2017. Aimed at disseminating knowledge about the life, values and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi among the public through various media, the exhibition included over 300 photographs, a display and sale of books, and film screenings. Sri. Roshy Augustine, MLA inaugurated the programme at a function presided over by Sri. Manoj M. Thomas, Municipal Chairman. Sri. Sajeev D. of Government Higher Secondary School, Kallar and Winner of the Best Teacher Award of the

Government of Kerala also spoke on the occasion. A Quiz Competition was also organized for students on this occasion. Benjamin Francis of Standard VIII B won the first prize, while Savio Roy and Yadav Vijay of Standard X B won the second prize.

Visit to District Jail, Kottayam

As part of the Centre‟s mission of promoting a sense of social commitment among the students as well as contributing to the development of society, members of the Gandhi Forum visited the District Jail, Kottayam on 6 February 2018 and donated 83 books to the Jail library and several indoor games for the inmates. Copies of Mahatma Gandhi‟s autobiography and booklets published by the Centre on green living, the hazards of plastic, waste management and RTI were also distributed to all the inmates and officials of the jail. An enthusiastic interactive session with the inmates inititiated by the students, including various games and musical items proved to be an uplifting experience.

One Day Camp on Rural Development Through Women Empowerment

Mahatma Gandhi placed great emphasis on the fact that India lives in its villages and that it was only through the development of women that development of society could take place. In keeping with this Gandhian perspective as well as to promote an understanding of Gandhian values in rural areas, the Centre organized a one day awareness camp for women in collaboration with the Kudumbasree unit of Mutholy Gramapanchayat on the theme - Rural Development through Women Empowerment on 19 February 2018 in Mutholy Panchayat. The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Alice Jose, Principal of Alphonsa College at a meeting presided over by Smt. Shoba Madhu, CDS (Community Development Society) Chairperson, Mutholy Gramapanchayat. Ms. C.J.Philomina, former Associate Professor, Department of Zoology, Alphonsa College delivered the keynote address. Sri Abraham Poovathani, Manager, Malanadu Development Society delivered a talk on Women and Alternative Lifestyle. Ms. Sajini Mathew, Director, Snehi Bhavan spoke on Women Empowerment: A Model, and Dr. Jasmine Alex, Assistant Professor, School of Indian Legal Thought, Mahatma Gandhi University spoke on Women and Law. More than eighty women participated in the programme.

BEST PRACTICES 2017-18

 Inculcating Gandhian values among students . By organizing workshops, special lectures, exhibitions, quiz competitions, photography and short film competitions, etc. on Mahatma Gandhi and issues of concern to him. . By displaying a Gandhian thought for the day on the notice board of the Centre every day. . By publishing and distributing booklets on issues of contemporary social concern among students and the public. . By deputing students to the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha, Maharashtra to participate in the ten day inter-university camp for students. . By publishing and distributing One Step – the newsletter with a difference. . By organizing community outreach programmes based on Gandhian ideals such as women empowerment awareness camps in panchayats, visit to district jail, distribution of booklets published by the Centre, etc.  Fostering environmental consciousness . By organizing relevant programmes such as Paryaptha and invited lectures. . By using eco-friendly products for all programmes.

LINKAGES ESTABLISHED DURING 2017-18

. Action Breaks Silence, U.K. . Kudumbasree Unit, Mutholy Grama Panchayat.

CGS IN THE MEDIA

Deepika, 12.7.2017

Mathrubhumi, 12.7.2017

Malayala Manorama, 12.7.2017

Deccan Chronicle 13.7.2017

New Indian Express, 13.7.2017

Malayala Manorama, 13.7.2017

Deepika, 13.7.2017

Deshabhimani, 13.7.2017

Mangalam, 30.11.2017

Malayala Manorama, 30.11.2017

Deepika, 30.11.2017

Deepika, 8.12.20172017

Mangalam, 8.12.2017

New Indian Express, 8.12.2017

Deepika, 17.12.20172017

New Indian Express, 17.12.2017

Malayala Manorama, 12.12.2017

Deepika, 12.12.2017

Deepika, 17.2.2018