CHICAGO: It was second year in succession that the Delhi Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International celebrated the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi on October 23 under the leadership of Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of the City of Chicago, and Smita Shah, Chair of the Delhi Committee.
This celebration coming close on heels of Mahatma’s birthday on October 2 also in a way was a great tribute to the memory of this world leader whose thoughts and teachings inspired social, political and even economic activists across the globe.
The event at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago was attended by over 250 Chicago elites, guests and community activists, including Sam Scot, Chair of the Chicago Sister Cities International, Alderman Joe Moore, Alderman Will Burns, City Treasurer Kurt Summers and Dr Ausaf Sayeed, Indian Consul General among others.
Sam Scott welcomed the guests paying rich tribute to the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. Smita Shah, Delhi Committee Chair, said that in 2015, when the entire world is torn by violence, Gandhi becomes more relevant.
The Sister Cities program, now under the auspices of World Business Chicago, has promoted cultural, social and economic exchanges between the two countries for over 50 years and this is a special opportunity to celebrate the relationship with Delhi and Chicago, she said
She also hinted that Chicago would be more than happy to host a visit by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi whenever he wants to be here. Her sentiment was echoed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in his speech
The Indian Consul General spoke about the harmony in independent India and the progress that India has made since its independence. He commended the huge contribution that Mahatma made to the world advocating non violence means for resolving disputes.
Mayor Emanuel certainly has the strength of determination like Gandhi in running the government. He is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, and when he visited India a few years ago with his family he felt it was his privilege to visit the land of Gandhi rather than simply another country.
He mentioned that Mahatma was inspired by Henry David Thoreau and he in his turn was an inspiration for leaders like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. “It was in a way homecoming since Martin Luther King Jr put in practice what Mahatma learnt from Thoreau,” he observed.
The Mayor also commended the role played by Indian Americans in Chicago and specifically mentioned the Devon Area avenue which houses a large number of Indian commercial establishments and a large Indian population. “Devon Avenue symbolizes the spirit of Chicago and its diversity,” he said.
The Mayor praised Indian CG Dr Sayeed for his role in cementing ties between Chicago and India.
While Mahatma Gandhi did not believe in any publicity or memorialization of his name, it is important that he is remembered not only in India, but outside India as well. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said in his Psalm Sunday sermon in 1959, “Mahatma Gandhi proved to be the greatest conqueror that the British Empire ever faced.
He was able to achieve, through love and non-violence, the independence of his people and break the backbone of the British Empire.”
With all the success that Gandhi had, the power behind the success was the guiding strength of his own character, the purity of his actions, and the truthfulness in his words.
Community leaders led by Niranjan Shah also appreciated Mayor Emanuel’s commitment to remember and recognize Mahatma Gandhi, and they presented him with a model of the Taj Mahal.
This was a gift handcrafted by workmen in Hyderabad using techniques craftsmen pass down from generation to generation to create an outstanding work of art using all local materials. It is somewhat significant because Mahatma Gandhi always wanted to promote not only industrialization, but also the handicrafts of the villages where people could utilize their skills, create outstanding art, and still make a living. Keerthi Kumar, Babu Patel, and Niranjan Shah presented the gift to the Mayor.
The celebration included a slideshow of Gandhi, and some of his famous quotes were presented along with videotapes.
Surendra Ullal
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