The Department of Education, Patna Women’s College (Autonomous), in collaboration with Loreto College (Autonomous), Kolkata, and St. Anne’s College of Education, Mangaluru, organized a guest lecture titled “Rethinking Gandhi” by Dr. Alok Tondon, Independent Researcher in Ethics and Social Philosophy, on 24 October 2026. Dr. Shubhra, Assistant Professor, welcomed the guest speaker and dignitaries. The programme began with the bhajan “Vaishnav Jan To.”
Dr. Tondon discussed the contemporary relevance of Gandhian philosophy, focusing on Ahimsa, Satyagraha, Swarajya, responsible citizenship, democracy, and nationalism. He highlighted Gandhi’s concept of the right to dissent and emphasized that democracy must respect disagreement, human dignity, and ethical responsibility.
The lecture also explored Gandhi’s views on technology, emphasizing that technology should serve humanity rather than enslave it. In the context of Artificial Intelligence, he stressed the need to balance technological advancement with human values and ethical judgement. The speaker further reflected on the evolution of Gandhi’s ideas through his interactions with Tagore, Sri Aurobindo, and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, along with his views on culture, religion, and communal harmony.
An interactive Question-and-Answer session followed the lecture, allowing participants to clarify their queries and engage in further discussion. The programme concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Anju Augustine, a student of St. Anne’s College of Education.
