“Gandhi did not belong to any government; Gandhi belongs to all people. If someone reads slander about Gandhi and starts criticizing him in a degrading manner, it does not reflect Gandhi badly, but rather reflects the inferior and degrading quality of that particular person. If that person cares so much about our country, humanity and Gandhi, then that person should go first to libraries, read books written by Gandhi, and then form an opinion or picture about him.” – Alagan Annamalai
Alagan Annamalai is the Director General of the National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi. He decided not to pursue his studies at the university and made it his life’s mission to pursue Gandhian activities. Desirous of visiting the places visited by Gandhi in Tamil Nadu, he prepared a map and started travelling. He has organized various camps for the youth and students in the name of ‘Let us Know Gandhi Well‘.
He has organised and led ‘cycle yatras’ with 35 youth from across Tamil Nadu to propagate Gandhian ideology and organizes and manages various exhibitions related to Gandhi. He delivered a lecture on Gandhian thoughts for one year in the Doordarshan Pothigai TV programme titled ‘Ulaga Uththamarin Uyariya Sindhanaigal’.
He was the Honorary Director of Gandhi Reading Centre, Chennai, Executive Committee Member of Gandhi Museum, Madurai, Treasurer of Thakkar Baba Vidyalaya, Chennai, Vice-Chairman of Central Gandhi Smarak Nidhi and Member of Tamil Nadu Gandhi Smarak Nidhi.
Alagan Annamalai took part in Cuckoo Conversation on 25.04.2020. It was a moment when the words of an experienced man who speaks heartily of seeing a growing interest in the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi among the youth were heard. Let the words of a pioneer who has gone where we have not been, who has read books we have not read, and who has reached an idea that we have not attained, bring clarity to our thinking.