Research Programmes —

Publication of Authentic Editions and Translations of Hind Swarajya:

To mark the hundredth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj, the Centre undertook an effort to compile the original authentic editions of Hind Swaraj based on Gandhiji’s own Gujarati manuscript, the first Gujarati version published in the Indian Opinion of December 11 and December 18, 1909, and Gandhijis own English translation published by the International Press at Phoenix in 1910.

We have already published the following authentic editions of Gandhiji’s Hind Swaraj: 1. The original version of Hind Swaraj in Gujarati copied faithfully from the handwritten manuscript of Mahatma Gandhi; 2. The original Gujarati version in Devanagari script with a verbatim Hindi translation that runs parallel to the original Gujarati; 3. Gandhiji’s own translation of Hind Swaraj as published in 1910 from the International Press, Phoenix.

Both the original Gujarati and original English versions of Hind Swaraj had become almost inaccessible. The editions available in the market carried several changes, which seemed to have been introduced almost randomly at different stages. No reasonably good Hindi translation of Hind Swaraj was available. The Hindi version that we have produced offers not only a faithful translation of the original, it is also so designed as to help a Hindi reader approach and appreciate the original Gujarati.

These editions were released on February 28, 2011 at Ahmedabad by Ma. Sri Mohanji Bhagwat; Sri Narendra Modi, the honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat was the Chief Guest on the occasion. While releasing these editions before a large audience at Ahmedabad, Ma Sri Mohanji Bhagwat compared it to the sacred Jnaneshwari, and said that just as understanding and dutifully following even a single ovi (verse) of Jnaneshwari leads to fulfilment, the understanding and following of every single line of Hind Swaraj has the same impact upon a reader. We shall soon place the speech of Ma Sri Mohanji Bhagwat and other proceedings of this meeting on this website.

A volume containing the Hindi translation of Hind Swarajya was released by the Honourable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Sri Shivraj Singh Chauhan at Bhopal on October 2, 2011.

For futher details of these volumes please see Hind Swarajya on the Publications page on this site.


Story of the Evolution of Hind Swarajya

We are also working on a volume that offers the story of the evolution of Hind Swaraj through the thinking and activities of Mahatma Gandhi as presented in his own writing and speeches during the period of 1891 to 1909. We hope to publish this volume early next year. We propose to hold a major seminar on Hind Swaraj to coincide with the publication of this volume.