Two Day National Seminar on Acharya J. B. Kripalani : Person and Politics 18th & 19th March, 2016 Organized by: Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad There will be three Plenary Lectures by: 1. Shri Rajmohan Gandhi Historian, Biographer, Scholar in Gandhian Thought, former M.P. and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. Currently he is a Research Professor at the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. 2. Shri Ram Bahadur Rai Editor of Yathavat, Padma Shri, senior Hindi Journalist, Acharya Kripalani's Biographer. 3. Shri Prakash N. Shah Honorary Director, Kripalani Adhyayan Kendra, Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad. 1 The other invited speakers who have confirmed are : 1. Dr. Anamik Shah Vice-chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad. 2. Shri Devendrabhai Desai Ex. Chairman, Khadi Gramodhyog Sangh, Bharat Sarkar. “Khadi and Acharya Kripalani” 3. Shri Kumar Prashant Chairman, Gandhi Peace Foundation,New Delhi. 4. Dr. Sudarshan Iyengar Former Vice-chancellor,Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad. “Economic thought of Acharya Kripalani” 5. Dr. Sugan Baranth President, Nai Talim Samiti, Sevagram,Wardha, Maharastra. “Nai Talim and Acharya Kripalani” ABOUT THE SEMINAR Jivatram Bhagwandas Kripalani (1888-1982) has left a distinct mark on Indian politics in pre- as well as post- Independence India. Due to his involvement with nationalist politics in students days, he had to live studies at Wilson College,Bombay and D.J.Sindh College,Karachi. Finally he completed B.A. from Fergusson College, Pune and M.A. in History from Bombay University. He taught at a college in Muzaffarpur in Bihar from 1912 to 1917 and at Benares during 1919-20. He also served as the Principal of the Gujarat Vidyapith, founded by Mahatma Gandhi, for five years, till 1927. It was here that he was called Acharya. Meeting Gandhi was a turning point in his life. In March 1915, it was at Shantiniketan that Kripalani first met Gandhi. There was no immediate sparks between them. However, after meeting Gandhi later in 1917 during the Champaran satyagraha, he was attracted to Gandhi's ideas and work and got completely involved in the nationalist movement led by Gandhi. In his own words he was a 'humble interpreter' of Gandhi's thoughts 'to others in more modern and understandable terms'. Kripalani married to Sucheta Mazumdar in April 1936. Gandhi did not give his blessings but said that he would 'pray' for them. Later Sucheta became very close to Gandhi. 2 Kripalai was the General Secretary of the congress from 1934 to 1945. He was elected President of the Indian National Congress in November 1946. He resigned soon thereafter due to ideological differences with his colleagues. He also resigned from the Congress Party in 1951 and begun a new political party, the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party, which subsequently merged with the Socialist Party to become the Praja Socialist Party. He was a strong critic of the emergency imposed during Indira Gandhi's tenure as the Prime Minister. He, with Jayprakash Narayan, helped in the formation of Janta Party and led it to victory in 1977. He has written some thought-provoking books on Gandhian philosophy such as Gandhi : His Life and Thoughts, The Gandhian Way and Gandhi: the Statesman that display his original approach and high intellectual quality. In 1950 he started a weekly named vigil to create awareness about the economic and social issues and Gandhi's ideas, but it had to be folded up after ten years for wants of funds. Kripalani's commitments to social and economic regeneration of India, his uncompromising stand on moral and ethical principles, his deep concern for the poor and unemployed and his insistence on high values in public life coupled with his irrepressible wit, razor-sharp mind matched only by equally sharp expressions put up him in a class by itself. Thus he was Gandhi's colleagues, a participant as well as analyst of the freedom struggle, an independent thinker and writer with an incisive mind, and was an important figure in public life who set high moral standards for democratic opposition. Acharya Kripalani was Acharya with the Gujarat Vidyapith during 1923-29 and the country has almost forgotten this great political activist, an excellent exponent of Gandhian Thought and a practitioner. Gujarat Vidyapith wants to pay a tribute to this grand leader by organizing a two day National Seminar. The topic of the seminar is “Acharya J. B. Kripalani : Person and Politics”. 3 THEMES OF THE SEMINAR • Kripalani's contribution to political thought and action. • Kripalani and his role in promoting Constructive Programme especially Khadi. • Kripalani in post Independent India : as Congress President, unique Parliamentarian and leader of opposition, and his role in public life. • Kripalani's Gandhi and Gandhi's Kripalani. • Other relevant themes from social, economic & political perspectives. CALL FOR PAPERS Original papers for presentation are invited in the English, Hindi and Gujarati language on the themes of seminar from the academicians, research scholars, students, social workers etc. SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACT & FULL PAPERS The abstract for the presentation should be approximately 300 words including the title, author (s) name, designation, institute address, E-mail id, phone no. and minimum 3 keywords. Typed in MS Words should be submitted in PDF file only, through E-mail latest by March 01, 2016. The full paper should contain the title, abstract, list of key words. The papers should not exceeding 3000 words. Full paper should be submitted in MS Words PDF file only, on or before March 10, 2016 through E-mail. Please note that hard copy of abstract or paper will be not accepted. Selected papers will be published as proceedings of the National Seminar. E-mail id for Submission of Abstract/ Paper : [email protected] 4 • Font English - Times New Roman Hindi - Mangal Gujarati - Shruti • Font Size Title 16 Points Author (s) 14 Points Affiliation 12 Points Margins 1'' Top, Bottom,Right & 1.25'' Left Text 12 Point • Line spacing 1.5 REGISTRATION No registration fee. However, prior registration is necessary. Please fill up the enclosed registration form and send it on the e-mail id [email protected] on or before 1st March 2016. Spot registration will not be entertained. ARRANGEMENT Local hospitality including Accommodation ( Two nights ) & Boarding will be arranged during the seminar period. No TA/DA would be paid by the Gujarat Vidyapith. For any quarries contact on e-mail [email protected] You can also visit our website www.gujaratvidyapith.org Shri Prakash N. Shah Dr. Rajendra Khimani Honorary Director Registrar Kripalani Adhyayan Kendra Gujarat Vidyapith Gujarat Vidyapith Ahmedabad-380014 Ahmedabad-380014 5 6.