Expressing admiration for Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein had said: “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”
Allada Ramakrishna, a native of Nallajarla mandal in West Godavari district and a die hard Gandhian, fears that Einstein’s prediction may come true if the nation continues to overlook the Mahatma’s contribution.
While schools, colleges, government departments and other organisations have lined up activities to commemorate the ‘Saint of Sabarmati ashram’ on January 30, his death anniversary, which is also observed as Martyr’s Day, Mr. Ramakrishna is busy adding new questions to the question bank he has prepared on Gandhi’s life. Whoever thought that one person alone can’t make a difference, ought to meet this former teacher who is on a mission to make Gandhian thought relevant to the present generation by spreading it far and wide in a unique way.
In the process, he achieved a rare feat last year by designing and conducting a unique test on Gandhi’s life and philosophy and mobilising 2 lakh students in his district to take the test so far. The word reached Gandhi’s granddaughter Usha Gokani, who came all the way to West Godavari district last year to give away prizes and certificates to the students who scored top ranks in the test.
Mr. Ramakrishna has conducted nine such tests so far. “Every year, 50 per cent of the questions change. It cost me five gruelling months and a sum of ₹3 lakh to successfully conduct this test last year. I want the Chandrababu Naidu government to replicate this model across the State as this is the only way to inculcate moral values in the present generation,” he says.
