Priyankar Upadhyaya: Gandhi in Contemporary Peace Continuum

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On 4th October 2020, The History Department of Kirori Mal College along with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell of Kirori Mal College organized a 5-day International Webinar on the topic RELEVANCE OF MAHATMA GANDHI IN THE 21ST CENTURY: PHILOSOPHY, POLITICAL IDEAS AND SOCIO-SPIRITUAL DIMENSION to observe the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

In the 2nd day of the Webinar, we have had with us Professor Priyankar Upadhyaya, UNESCO Chair for Peace, Benaras Hindu University, Global Fellow, Peace Research Institute Ohio (PRIO), who spoke on the 4th October 2020 at 3pm IST on the Gandhi in Contemporary Peace Continuum. Prof. Upadhyaya holds M.Phil. and Ph.D from the Jawaharlal Nehru University and holds Advance International Diploma(s) in Conflict Resolution from Uppasala University, Sweden. He is also a scholar of University of London and the Woodrow Wilson Centre for International Scholars, Washington DC. He is a recipient of many reputed awards like the Guest Scholar Award of the Woodrow Wilson Centre of International Scholars in 1992, Faculty Research Award and many more. He has been a faculty of Political Science and Confluct Resolution in many parts of the world, including Montreal, Northern Ireland, Sweden and United States. He is currently teaching International Relations and Peace Studies at the Benaras Hindu University and has occasionally served as guest expert on various news channels. He was also invited by President Barack Obama to the White House to attend a meeting on Religious and Interfaith dialogue. On 24th of May 2018, a book titled 'Long Walk of Peace: towards a culture of prevention' authored by Prof. Upadhyaya was published by UNESCO, was launched at the UN Library at Geneva.

The event was moderated by Kajal Diwan, 3rd year student of History Department of Kirori Mal College and Ridhi Jain, 3rd year student of History Department of Kirori Mal College. Prof. Upadhyaya delivered an enlightening lecture and he discussed about how Gandhi believed that Peace is not the destination, but a way of life. He emphasised the fact that how Gandhi put humans at the centre of everything and how categoric he was.

He also discussed at lengths on 'peaceful' as a continuum, also how peace had been an empowering phenomena. He also introduced to us Gandhi's vision of holistic peace as sustaining peace and how Gandhi believed in both direct and indirect violence. He ended the lecture with Gandhi's thoughts and feelings on how he thought small children young be made aware and taught about peace at an early age.

His lecture was followed by a very intriguing QnA sessions with the audience. Prof. Devji’s profuse knowledge upon the subject was received and appreciated very well by the audience and the event thus ended on a very positive and fulfilling note.

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Author:


Kaustubh Bhatnagar
2nd Year, History Hons. KMC

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