This college preaches Gandhigiri

The Gandhian Studies Centre since its inception in 2006 has been extensively working to contribute to the corpus of literature and thought on Gandhi to the present society by organising seminars, conference, orientation programmes, guest lectures, photo exhibitions, certificate courses etc, on Gandhiji. The centre was sanctioned by the UGC, New Delhi, during the tenth plan and was renewed in the eleventh plan.

The centre aims to promote activities both for the younger generation and for the more mature Gandhian activists and workers and to translate the same in to social life for the benefit of the nations. It’s the first autonomous college having this unique opportunity to establish this prestigious centre. It is one of the four centers in united Andhra Pradesh and one of the three centres post bifurcation. It is the only centre in Aided-Autonomous NAAC “A” Grade colleges in Andhra Pradesh.

The main aim and objective of this centre is to promote, organise and undertake the study of life and thought of Mahatma Gandhi. We are happy and proud to say that our centre has been renewed in XII Plan also (from 2013 to 2017). As part of this centre’s programme, we organise guest lectures by Gandhian experts, orientation programmes on Gandhian principles, workshops, seminars and conferences, peace rallies, literary and cultural competitions on Gandhiji on important national festive days, photo exhibitions on Gandhiji, publication of books, leaflets and calendars etc, three months certificate courses in Gandhian philosophy etc.

Since 2006, we conducted 250 guest lectures and orientation programmes, 28 photo exhibitions, certificate courses for 5,500 students in both East and West Godavari districts, four national and state level seminars on Gandhiji, conducted 25K to 16K peace rallies five times, held 48 literary and cultural competitions and distributed prizes and certificates to 500 prize winners.

Since 2011, our centre continuously is publishing the quarterly newsletter on Gandhiji. Till today we published 20 newsletters with articles on Gandhiji and centre’s activities etc.

We published three books, brochures and 10 leaflets on Gandhian principles, eleven vows of Mahatma, constructive programmes, etc. Every year, we have been publishing Gandhi calendar with rare collection of Gandhiji photos.

We have been conducting three months certificate courses to school and colleges students in East and West Godavari Districts. Every year, we offer this course to 6 to 10 colleges and 15 schools. We distribute Gandhiji’s biography to every student who joined this course. Our aim is to make them study Gandhi’s autobiography. We also offer this course to RMP doctors, teachers and other public.

We have been conducting one or two weeks summer courses on Gandhian principles to students in April and May. We have also been exhibiting video films on gandhiji.

The college started conducting programmes on Gandhiji in Central Jail, Rajahmundry, since 2007. We conducted guest lectures, photo exhibitions on Gandhiji, patriotic songs and essay writing competitions to prisoners, Gandhi Ghazal programmes by Ghazals Srinivas, three month certificate courses on Gandhiji to prisoners, both men and women.

We completed five batches of certificate courses for male prisoners, each batch consisting 70 to 90 prisoners and one batch of 58 women prisoners in special prison, Central Jail, Rajahmudry. By conducting these activities, as informed by Sainath Reddy, the then Superintendent of Central Jail, Rajahmundry, there was a a change in the attitude and habits of prisoners. Even today, many of the prisoners who are released from the jail, contact the institute’s director and take advice about the centre.

Joan Huguenard, peace activist from USA, Micheal Nagler from USA, Steaphen Waliger, Micheal Andrew from Washington DC, USA and others visited the centre and participated in many programmes conducted by the centre.

We have established a library on Gandhiji with 1,000 books and 12 national and international journals. The centre has 100 collective works of Mahatma including CDs, speeches, 15 volumes of Young India, specimen copy of Young India and 500 photo collections of Mahatma etc.