Release of the Hindi Edition of Hind Swarajya on October 2, 2011 at Bhopal

Sri Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Honourable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, released the Hindi Edition of Hind Swarajya, prepared by Centre for Policy Studies on the basis of the original handwritten Gujarati manuscript of Mahatma Gandhi, in the hall of the Central Library, Barkatullah Bhavan, Bhopal on October 2, 2011. Honourable Minister for School Education, Smt. Archana Chitnis and Sri Sudarshan Iyengar, Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapeeth were present on the occasion. Dr. J. K. Bajaj, who has translated and edited this edition, presided over the function. The audience included several high scholars and other important personalities of Bhopal, including Sri Kailash Joshi, former Chief Minister and MP, and Sri Govind Sharma, Director of the Hindi Grantha Academy.

While releasing the book, Sri Chauhan said that Gandhiji’s thoughts give expression to the essential core commitments of Indian civilisation and therefore shall always remain relevant to India. Gandhiji’s emphasis on Truth, Ahimsa and Aprigraha (austerity), and on Swadeshi and Swabhasha, is important for all societies at all times. We should not only learn about such ideas and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, but also try to follow these ourselves and inculcate these in our children. Sri Chauhan made special reference to Gandhiji’s concern for the village and for agriculture, which is the foundation of village life and economy. He said that he himself is an agriculturist; and, he had made it a point to visit his fields before coming to release the Hindi Edition of Hind Swarajya. Concluding his address, Sri Chauhan congratulated and thanked the Centre for Policy Studies for translating and publishing this edition; he also congratulated the Minister for School Eduction for her efforts in organising this function and making Hind Swarajya accessible to the people of Bhopal.

Before the release of the Hindi Edition of Hind Swarajya, there was a public reading of the text in the same hall, spread over eight days, starting September 25, 20111, the Jayanti of Sri Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. These public reading sessions were attended by 3 to 4 hundred people everyday. Public reading of a part of Hind Swarajya everyday was followed by an analytical address by a Gandhian scholar; and everyday, the function was presided over by some senior leader and thinker. Those who spoke in thse Reading and Understanding (Vachana evam Vivechana) sessions on Hind Swarajya included Padmabhushan Sri Chandrasekhar Dharmadhikari, Sri S. R. Mehrotra, Sri Kumar Prashant, Sri Shravana Garg, Sri Banwari, Sri Sundarlal Patwa, Sri Kailash Joshi, Sri Babulal Gaur, Sri Umashankar Gupta, Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Sri V. D. Mehta, Sri Jayant Mallaiya, Sri Prabhat Jha, Sri Kaptan Singh Solanki, amongst several other important persons and scholars.

This extensive programme of reading and understanding of Hind Swarajya was completed after the release function, with the reading of the last chapter of Hind Swarajya. At the end of the function, all the participants were given a copy of the Hindi Edition of Hind Swarajya, a copy of Sri Deendayal Upadhyaya’s Ekatma Darshan and a copy of a stirring patritotic essay by Bhagat Singh.

About the Hindi Edition of Hind Swarajya

The Hindi Edition of Hind Swarajya has been prepared on the basis of the original Gujarati Manuscript of Hind Swarajya written in Gandhiji’s own hand. The Edition attempt to closely follow the original in its syntax and choice of words. This is an attempt to convey the flow and rhythm of the original Gujarati to the Hindi reader. In the Gujarati version, Gandhiji sounds like a respected old wise man, sitting in the village square and explaining the nuances of duty, morality, truth and religion, the proper observance of which constitutes civilisation.

Hind Swarajya is a foundational text of Indian civilisation. It needs to be read by every Indian, especially today when we seem to have completely forgotten the duties and privileges that attach to our identity as Indians.

To reach this Hindi version of the text to a large number of readers, we have priced it very moderately at Rs.40/-. We shall offer further discounts on purchase of bulk copies and try to sell these at just the cost price. Very soon, we shall also be putting the complete text of this edition on this website.