1.Introduction
In the contemporary media world, where the 'advertorials' probably bear more importance than the 'editorials', I believe it should be interesting to know how the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, contributed to the fields of journalism and mass communication.
An effective communicator, Gandhi was fearless and eloquent with his words. He reached out to millions of people and convinced them of his cause. According to Chalapathi Raju, an eminent editor, Gandhi was probably the greatest journalist of all time, and the weeklies he ran and edited were probably the greatest weeklies the world has known. He published no advertisement, and at the same time he did not let his newspapers run at a loss. He had
gained considerable experience in South Africa, where he had taken over the editorship of the 'Indian Opinion' and published it in English, Tamil and Gujarati, sometimes running the press himself.
Young India and Harijan became powerful vehicles of his views on all subjects. He wrote on all subjects. He wrote simply and clearly but forcefully, with passion and burning indignation. One of the objects of a newspaper, he said, is to understand the popular feeling and give expression to it, another is to arouse among the people certain desirable sentiments, and the third is fearlessly to expose popular defects.
2.Gandhi - The Great Communicator and Journalist
Apart from being a national leader and social reformer, Gandhi was a great communicator. More than any one else, he recognized that communication is the most effective tool to shape opinion and mobilize popular support. He was successful because he had a latent skill in communication that surfaced in South Africa where he had gone initially to set up practice as a lawyer. This gave him the clue to rally millions of his countrymen when he returned to India. Gandhi’s journalism belonged to an era when there was neither radio nor television. Such was the power of his 'soul communication' that whatever he said and wrote reached the farthest corners of this country within days and to the entire world thereon.
Gandhi, in a journalistic career spanning nearly four decades, edited six journals. None, including Harijan and Navjivan, at first, could boast a circulation of more than a few thousand copies. But such was Gandhi's grasp of the basics of mass communication that he ensured that his daily "outpourings of heart and soul" reached all.
If one were to ask the question as to who came first- ‘Gandhi – The Freedom Fighter’ or ‘Gandhi – The Media Crusader’, the truth would be that latter pre-dated the former by at least 20 years.
Mohandas Gandhi was a non-violent promoter for Indian independence.He was married young at 13,and went to London to go to law school.Gandhi got his degree there and was on his way to being a lawyer.He went to his first case,but couldn't even speak. Gandhi then got invited to South Africa from a businessman. Gandhi’s luck their was no good either.European racism came to him,after he got kicked off of a train,because he was “colored” and was holding a first class ticket.When Gandhi fought back because of it,was arrested and was sent to jail.After this, he became know as as a leader.Gandhi returned to India in 1896,and he was disgusted by it.British wanted them to wear their clothes,copy their manners,accept their standards of beauty,but Gandhi refused.Gandhi wanted people to live free of all class and wealth.Gandhi tried so hard and was more successful then any other man in India.They won independence in 1947. Gandhi’s non-violent movement worked because,Gandhi used clever planning, mass appeal, conviction, and compassion to win independence for India.
"Selections from Gandhi : Complete Book Online." WELCOME TO MAHATMA GANDHI ONE SPOT COMPLETE INFORMATION WEBSITE. Web. 01 Oct. 2011. .
“ First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win” (Mahatma Gandhi). Gandhi was born in 1869 in Porbandar. Throughout his life Gandhi helped those in need. He was taught that everyone and everything is holy. He married at the custom age of 19 and went to London to study law. The thing that helped Gandhi promote nonviolence is that he worked his entire life saying that violence didn’t change the way people acted. He lived his life saying that an eye for an eye only made the whole world blind. Gandhi’s nonviolent movement worked because he had something to prove and everyone else in the world agreed with him.
When you expect to be looking for propaganda of any sort, you convince yourself to look harder and deeper into the more profound side of things in order to identify the untrue, because you are rightly expecting subliminal overtones. Especially when the case deals with the resignation of the only editor who was from outside the family that owns a 135 year old, well respected newspaper with a circulation of almost 1.5 million everyday in a country as vast as India and was made editor on the recommendation of the enigmatic ex-editor of the Hindu, Narasimhan Ram himself.
Rudolf, Lloyd L., and Susanne Hoeber Rudolf. Post Modern Gandhi and other essays. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2006. 92-120. Print.
People in India call him Mahatma and according to the oxford dictionary it means a revered person regarded with love and respect, two words that Gandhi uses a lot in his writing, in this essay he used the word love eight times. He is recognized as “The Father of the Nation” in India. The essay “My Faith in Nonviolence” was written in 1930 and was directed to the Indian people. Also in 1930 Gandhi started a march to the sea to protest the British rule of India so this letter and many others were important for Gandhi to explain his message to his followers. Gandhi supported his claim
Consequently, their philosophies bear the shades of Nationalism consummated with contemporary worldview. There emerged two ardent leaders who led India’s freedom movement situated at different times, while Sri
The. Mehta, Ved. Mahatma Gandhi and His Apostles. New York: Viking, 1977. Print.
In a powerful scene from the 1982 film Gandhi, a young Mahatma Gandhi stands before a tense crowd of British officers and local Indian civilians at a public protest. Following an act of pure linguistic mastery and emotional evocation, the silence is broken by the locals’ loud cheers of encouragement at the words just now spoken by the political and spiritual leader. Faced by a crowd of varied faiths and religious views, Gandhi urges the angry and oppressed voices to abandon retaliation through violence and instead seek unity in peaceful resistance. “They will have my dead body,” he says, “but not my obedience.” To many, he was the epitome of righteousness and the closest degree to godliness that man could possibly achieve.
For this paper I want to characterize Gandhi’s leadership styles, analyze them and try to put into context the relevance of his leadership.
Gandhi’s overall appearance made people question their views of him. His frame was thin and frail but he was one of the powerful people during the time. This photograph almost didn’t happen because of Gandhi’s strict demands. Margaret Bourke-White was allowed a great opportunity to photograph Gandhi, India’s leader. She had to learn how to use the spinning wheel first before being able to take the photograph of Gandhi, she also had further demand that she must not speak to Gandhi as it was his day of silence. Margaret was only allowed to use three flash bulbs as Gandhi didn’t like bright lights so strong of silence which provided an additional burden as she was unable to direct him into any position that she wanted as the photographer, she had to rely on his going in to a suitable position for the final shot. Gandhi at his spinning wheel (Anon., n.d.) As she had set her equipment up and was ready to shoot the photograph the first flash bulb had failed and the she had forgotten to pull the side which made it come out blank. At the end of it she came out with a photograph which became Gandhi’s best portrait and was recognised by the whole world. In the end Margaret Bourke-White came away with a photograph of Gandhi which became the most enduring represent...
This is only part of his way of showing that everyone in India must unite if they want to gain. Gandhi is known for his wit and symbolic movements. Each peaceful protest he leads leaves the British Empire stunned. Despite multiple arrests aimed at halting his protests, the Indian population stands by him.
He later retuned to India in 1891as a well trained lawyer but he was unsuccessful in starting a law firm so he sought work in South Africa. He received a job offer for a year and left his wife and children. In south Africa he became a leader in the Indian majorities fight to end discrimination creating the natal Indian congress witch as the Indian voice foe south Africa, he was also in the in the British army during the Boer war as a Indian medical commander . He ended up staying there until 1914 and his wife and children came in1896.
Gandhi has obviously had the greatest influence in India and South Africa where he worked for the rights of Indian citizens under British rule. While working in South Africa Gandhi experienced first hand the oppression Indian immigrants were facing. In 1984 he organized the Natal Indian Congress to help the Indian community in South Africa. Gandhi's ability as a leader first showed itself during the Anglo-Boer War in 1899 when he had over 1000 Indians serving under him in the Ambulance Corps to help the injured on the British Side.