- 01 October, 2026
October 1, 2026: As India prepares to observe Gandhi Jayanthi on October 2, millions will once again remember Mahatma Gandhi—not only as the leader of India’s freedom movement, but as a thinker whose questions about civilisation, technology, economics and human life remain remarkably relevant.
But how well do we really know Gandhi’s ideas beyond ahimsa, non-violence and the freedom struggle?
One fascinating way to discover a lesser-known side of Gandhi is through Hind Swaraj: Gandhi’s Critique of Modern Civilization, by Bishop Lawrence Pius Dorairaj, D.D., Ph.D. The book explores Gandhi’s radical critique of modern civilisation and asks questions that continue to confront the world today.
Written by Gandhi in 1909, Hind Swaraj, or Indian Home Rule, challenged the assumptions behind what he called modern civilisation. Gandhi questioned whether material progress, industrialisation and ever-increasing consumption necessarily lead to human happiness and genuine well-being.
More than a century later, questions about global warming, environmental degradation, depletion of natural resources, urban overcrowding and the consequences of industrialisation have become impossible to ignore.
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Could Gandhi have anticipated some of these challenges?
Hind Swaraj: Gandhi’s Critique of Modern Civilization invites readers to explore precisely this question.
For many people, Gandhi is primarily associated with non-violence and India's independence. Bishop Lawrence Pius Dorairaj’s study opens another window into his thought.
The author encountered Hind Swaraj while researching Gandhi's understanding of Western and Indian civilisation.
His study led him beyond the familiar image of Gandhi as simply an idealist or advocate of non-violence, towards a deeper examination of Gandhi's philosophical, moral and religious vision.
The result is a thoughtful exploration of an aspect of Gandhi that is less frequently discussed: his critique of modernity.
One of the most intriguing questions raised by the book is whether Gandhi's criticism of modern civilisation means that humanity should simply return to an earlier way of life.
Was Gandhi asking the world to abandon every machine and return to the bullock cart?
The book examines this tension carefully, looking at Gandhi's understanding of civilisation rather than reducing his argument to a simple rejection of technology.
Its chapters explore the malaise of modern civilisation, Gandhi's philosophy, his views on machines and his alternative understanding of civilisation. The study then considers ancient Indian civilisation, cultural nationalism, religious convictions, moral influences and cultural factors before examining Gandhi's economic views and his outlook on contemporary crises.
Bishop Lawrence Pius Dorairaj brings considerable academic experience to this study. Born in Coimbatore in 1954, he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore in 1981 and later pursued doctoral studies in philosophy in Paris.
He completed his doctorate on Gandhi's critique of modern civilisation at the Catholic Institute of Paris and the Sorbonne University in 1994.
His long engagement with Gandhi's writings provides the foundation for this accessible yet philosophical study.
Perhaps the most interesting reason to revisit Gandhi this Gandhi Jayanthi is that many of the questions he raised have not disappeared.
What does genuine progress mean? Can economic development exist without damaging human relationships and the natural world? Does greater comfort necessarily make people happier? What happens when consumption becomes the measure of success?
These are not merely historical questions. They are questions about the world we are creating today.
Hind Swaraj: Gandhi’s Critique of Modern Civilization offers readers an opportunity to pause, reconsider familiar ideas of progress and encounter a side of Gandhi that may be entirely new to them.
Gandhi Jayanthi is more than an occasion to remember a historical figure. It can also be an invitation to return to his ideas, examine them critically and ask what they might still have to say to our times.
If you would like to explore Gandhi's critique of modern civilisation and understand the philosophical thinking behind Hind Swaraj, this book offers a fascinating place to begin.
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CLICK HERE to explore Hind Swaraj: Gandhi’s Critique of Modern Civilization and discover Gandhi’s thought from a new perspective.
By Catholic Connect Reporter
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