The Assassination of the Mahatma
V Kalyanam served as Mahatma Gandhi’s last personal secretary. He served him for six years in total, till his assassination in the early days of 1948. He was present at Birla House on the day of the assassination and had witnessed the tragic event, firsthand, standing a few feet away from the global leader. Following Gandhi’s death, he remained dedicated to promoting his principles of non-violence and truth, actively engaging in social and educational causes. His personal experiences and insights into the leader’s life have been invaluable in preserving and sharing his legacy.
Sarla Behn (Mehta) is a dedicated Gandhian and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. She went to the Sabarmati Ashram at the age of 8 and lived there for most part of her life. She actively participated in the Indian independence movement and was deeply involved in the initiatives aimed at improving rural education, women’s empowerment, and the promotion of khadi. Her unwavering dedication to the Gandhian way of life left a lasting impact on the communities she served.
Kalyanam and Sarla Behn recall the time they spent in the august company of the Mahatma and the way he inspired their lives. The Gandhian comrades take us back in time to the days leading up to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination which left the nation in a state of mourning, and the world feeling a profound sense of loss and a vacuum that can never be filled. As a lover, believer, preacher and follower of non-violence, peace and truth, the Mahatma had refused to allow the police to search his followers for guns or weapons that could potentially harm his life. He believed that if God wanted to end his life, even the searches wouldn’t help. Kalyanam and Sarla Behn, in the course of their conversation, remember the day the Mahatma breathed his last, and underline the legacy the man has left behind.