From Gandhi's relevance to India's AI race
Ramachandra Guha highlights how Gandhian principles of protest and humour are still alive today. This issue also delves into the untold story of B.R. Ambedkar's visit to Kerala, an interview with Sachin Pilot, and India's race towards an AI economy
Historian Ramachandra Guha's commentary on "Arguments with Gandhi" explores the enduring relevance of the Gandhian spirit in contemporary India, as seen through his observations on political protests and the underappreciated power of humor in activism. The article contrasts Gandhi's ascetic lifestyle with modern concerns, including the global race for AI capacity and the escalating demand for electricity, suggesting the latter might become a significant societal addiction. It also delves into historical events, such as B.R. Ambedkar's 1950 visit to Kerala and the political hurdles faced by Dalits, alongside an interview with Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot addressing pressing issues in Punjab. The piece further highlights the unique artistry of Miraj's musical instrument makers and concludes with an announcement regarding a necessary price adjustment for the newsweekly due to rising operational costs, while expressing gratitude for reader support of journalism.
Historian Ramachandra Guha's commentary on "Arguments with Gandhi" explores the enduring relevance of the Gandhian spirit in contemporary India, as seen through his observations on political protests and the underappreciated power of humor in activism. The article contrasts Gandhi's ascetic lifestyle with modern concerns, including the global race for AI capacity and the escalating demand for electricity, suggesting the latter might become a significant societal addiction. It also delves into historical events, such as B.R. Ambedkar's 1950 visit to Kerala and the political hurdles faced by Dalits, alongside an interview with Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot addressing pressing issues in Punjab. The piece further highlights the unique artistry of Miraj's musical instrument makers and concludes with an announcement regarding a necessary price adjustment for the newsweekly due to rising operational costs, while expressing gratitude for reader support of journalism.
Historian Ramachandra Guha's commentary on "Arguments with Gandhi" explores the enduring relevance of the Gandhian spirit in contemporary India, as seen through his observations on political protests and the underappreciated power of humor in activism. The article contrasts Gandhi's ascetic lifestyle with modern concerns, including the global race for AI capacity and the escalating demand for electricity, suggesting the latter might become a significant societal addiction. It also delves into historical events, such as B.R. Ambedkar's 1950 visit to Kerala and the political hurdles faced by Dalits, alongside an interview with Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot addressing pressing issues in Punjab. The piece further highlights the unique artistry of Miraj's musical instrument makers and concludes with an announcement regarding a necessary price adjustment for the newsweekly due to rising operational costs, while expressing gratitude for reader support of journalism.
“GANDHI WOULD HAVE been proud of the Cockroach Janta Party,” said Ramachandra Guha to Special Correspondent Anjuly Mathai. Guha sees the protest as a sign that the Gandhian spirit is still alive and kicking. On October 2, HarperCollins India will release Guha’s third volume on the Mahatma, Arguments with Gandhi.
Of all the tools employed by the Cockroach Janta Party, I found humour to be the most underrated one. Though Gandhi is known to have employed humour with devastating effect, the brand of both humours is different. I wonder how Guha views that distinction. In this issue of THE WEEK, we look at Gandhi against a contemporary backdrop, through Guha’s eyes.
While many an Indian might aspire to imbibe certain Gandhian qualities, one of those might be tough for us all—his diet. This is what he told The Spectator of London in 1934:
“For my breakfast at eight o’clock I have eighteen ounces of goat’s milk and four oranges; for my luncheon at 1 o’clock I again have sixteen ounces of milk, grapes, pears or other fruit. My evening meal is between 5 and 6 o’clock. I eat a teaspoonful of almond paste, twenty or thirty dates, several tomatoes and a lettuce or other salad. This avoids indigestion. As you will note, I eat no starch and no cereals.”
Coming to Correspondent Badar Bashir’s article on the questions being raised about India’s race to build capacity for the AI economy, I wonder what Gandhi would have thought of it all. He would surely have had an opinion on the imbalance in resource consumption. The data and AI races seem to be like riding a tiger. One cannot but be in the game, but no one I ask seems to know how it will play out.
After reading Badar’s article, I think that our biggest addiction will not be to any drug or even the internet. It will be to electricity.
From Gandhi, we move to another colossus. Principal Correspondent Nirmal Jovial brings us the Untold Story of how the bureaucrats of erstwhile Travancore-Kochi kept B.R. Ambedkar from meeting dalits during his 1950 visit to Kerala. Nirmal refers to former Thiru-Kochi chief minister Paravoor T.K. Narayana Pillai and his request that Ambedkar speak on the Constitution.
Manorama Music, which belongs to the same group as THE WEEK, was headed for a long time by Paravoor’s grandson, Dr Sivaram Srikandath. Public service and music run in the family in good measure. Singers Sujatha and the late Radhika Tilak are Paravoor’s grandchildren, and singer G. Venugopal is his grandnephew.
The talk of politics and music brings me to Senior Assistant Editor Pratul Sharma’s interview with Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot, who is overseeing Punjab for the party. He answers even the uncomfortable bits about 1984 and the challenges of migration and unemployment in the state.
Speaking of music, do look up Deputy Photo Editor Amey Mansabdar’s article based on his visit to Miraj, where artisans cajole bitter pumpkins to make sweet music.
In parting, let me add a word about a call we made this week, grudgingly, to go in for a price hike of Rs20. While the world around has become dearer, we have stuck to the same price since September 2023. The wars in the Middle East and Russia have spiked the prices of paper, ink and fuel, making a price hike unavoidable.
From this issue onwards, your favourite newsweekly is being sold at Rs100. Subscribers will not be charged anything extra, of course. Please accept my thanks for backing Journalism with A Human Touch over the years, and may I count on you to continue that generous support.