Heart to HEART

Children need good role models to emulate and inspire them to achieve greatness. And what better role model than Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation who master-minded and won India’s freedom struggle from the imperial Great Britain’s exploitative rule?

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Hello Parents!

In the past few issues of the Kidzone section, we have been featuring excerpts from Growing Up with the Mahatma authored by Dr. Swati Popat Vats, president of the Early Childhood Association of India and the Podar chain of preschools. This richly illustrated book presents inspiring stories from the life of the Mahatma with each chapter narrating one of the many ‘avatars’ of Gandhiji and lessons to learn from them. The avatars include animal activist, fashion stylist, teacher, journalist, fitness expert, social worker, doctor, barrister and chef. Moreover chapter-end there are several activities for children to write a story, solve puzzles and a books quiz.

This month we present an excerpt from the chapter ‘Mahatma inspires you to become a traveller to explore India and the world’.

When I grow up I want to be a traveller just like the Mahatma...

“Be the change that you want to see in the world”.

Did you know that...

Mahatma Gandhi loved walking and for short distances it was his preferred mode of transport. But he also hopped onto trains, ships, bicycles, cars, horse carriages, bullock carts and once on an elephant, although never an airplane.

He travelled extensively across India and abroad. As a young man, he went to London to study law. Later, he travelled to South Africa and then back to India. During his struggle for Indian independence from British rule, Bapu travelled to London for independence negotiation conferences several times. He also toured India extensively for campaigns such as the Swadeshi Movement and Dandi March.