25-04-2025
Gopalkrishna Gandhi, a man of many parts, turns 80
Gopalkrishna Gandhi is a man who wears many hats. However, what is probably lesser known is that the former diplomat has also penned musical compositions.
'Aag Bhai Bandhu', composed by Mr. Gandhi, drawing inspiration from the fire sermon on Gautama Buddha, was among the recitals performed by musician T.M. Krishna at an event at the Bangalore International Centre honouring Mr. Gandhi who turned 80 this week.
Illustrious career
Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and C. Rajagopalachari, Mr. Gandhi has had an illustrious career as an administrator, diplomat and author of several books. The former IAS officer, who held the position of Governor of West Bengal previously, also served as the High Commissioner for India to South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Mr Gandhi, nevertheless, has an interesting and rather sweet connection to Bengaluru, revealed historian Ramachandra Guha who spoke at the event.
'The idea of Gopalkrishna Gandhi was conceived at a park bench in Bangalore,' quipped Mr. Guha, further clarifying that it was in the city that Devdas Gandhi, son of Mahatma Gandhi and father of Gopalkrishna Gandhi, confessed his love to Lakshmi Gandhi, daughter of C. Rajagopalachari. Guha also pointed out that Tara Gandhi, ornithologist and wife of Gopalkrishna Gandhi, has a parental home in the city.
Fine prose
Mr. Guha, who has been a long-time friend of Mr. Gandhi, shared several interesting anecdotes about Mr. Gandhi. Terming him one of the finest writers of English prose. He recollected how, in the year 2006, he came across a book titled 'The end of an epoch' about Gandhiji at a university library in the US. The 60-page book originally written by Manu Gandhi in 1962 about the last few weeks of Mahatma Gandhi was translated by Gopalkrishna Gandhi at the age of just 17.
'Virtually no Indian alive knows our country, the depth of its culture, the diversity of its people, the richness of its literary and intellectual history as does Gopalkrishna Gandhi,' Mr. Guha noted.
