Rajiv Vora
Living and Sharing the Way of Nonviolence
Early Introduction to Nonviolence Activities as a Student Involving Others Leader in Gandhian Legacy
"Internalizing the nonviolent life is truly the best of life." These words spoken by Rajiv Vora of India eptiomize the life he has lived and the commitment he 
has made to living and calling others to live the ideals of nonviolence.
Born into a wealthy family in India, Rajiv’s life was redirected through a decision made by his parents. Inspired by the teachings and life of Mahatma Gandhi, his parents gave up all they had to join Gandhi’s movement. They moved to a rural area and adopted many ways of Gandhi’s life such as spinning their own cloth.
Thus Rajiv was introduced early in life to the concept of nonviolence and what this meant as a way of life. The simplicity of life now lived by his family was sometimes difficult for Rajiv.
He recalls an incident that reveals the total dedication of his father to a simple life and to the teachings of Gandhi. He remembers, "My father followed Gandhi’s precept to treat his children no differently than any of the other children in our village. Once when my brother was very ill and the villagers came with white cloths on their shoulders in anticipation of his death, my father refused to call his own brother who was a doctor in Bombay. My father said that no other child in the village would have access to a doctor, therefore, neither should his own son. Finally a friend in the community called the brother in Bombay and my uncle arrived to save my brother."
These lessons and experiences of childhood remained with Rajiv and grew through the years as he matured.
Rajiv left the rural life of his youth to obtain his education. It was during his graduate school days that he was led back to the world of nonviolent action and the ideals that had inspired his parents to change their way of life. As a graduate student, Rajiv was studying classical Indian music and in the course of study decided to write a paper on nonviolence. It was during this time in India that Indira Gandhi was president and had suspended all civil rights. She had called a state of emergency because she did not want to be voted out of office. As a result of his paper research, Rajiv was drawn to confront this injustice with nonviolent action. He began recruiting university students to join a protest against Indira Gandhi.
As a result of this protest, he and thousands of others were arrested and spent time in jail. While in jail, these protesters organized a hunger strike to protest the corruption in the distribution of rations. As a result of these nonviolent actions, the courts were led to dismiss charges against many of the protesters. Ultimately, Indira Gandhi stepped down from her position in the Indian government. Rajiv had witnessed the possiblities of the ways of nonviolent action.
In 1974 Socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan launched a ‘Sampoorna Kranti’ (total revolution) against corruption in public life. Rajiv recruited Indian citizens to participate in Satyagraha led by this activist. Satyagraha was explained by M.K. Gandhi as follows: "Truth (Satya) implies love, and firmness (Agraha) engenders and therefore serve as a synonym for force. I thus began to call the Indian movement ‘Satyagraha’, that is to say the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence, and gave up the use of the phrase ‘passive resistance’."
Through association with Narayan, Rajiv again experienced the effectiveness of employing nonviolence. Once when Narayan was in jail, he received word that a gang was threatening people in the name of the nonviolent movement. Rajiv went with a friend to the village where this gang had kidnapped the son of a wealthy man and was threatening to kill him and burn down the man’s house. Rajiv mediated between the police and the gang. Through this mediation the gang members apologized and no harm was done to the man’s son. With their son safe, the family forgave the people who had threatened them.
Through his commitment to nonviolence Rajiv Vora has helped to keep the honored Gandhian tradition alive in India. He has become a respected activist, educator, and author who is fundamentally committed to non-violent social change. As an author, he has contributed through his work as editor of GANDHI MARG.
As an educator, Rajiv participated in the Universtiy of Rhode Island Fall 2000 Colloquium where his topic was "Living the Gandhian Legacy." Here he explored the legacies of the past, current realities, and possible Gandhian contributions for a more just and peaceful 21st century.
Swarajpeeth, headed by Rajiv and based in New Delhi, India, is a non-profit organization engaged in demonstrating the inspirational power of Mahatma Gandhi's vision, thought, and method. The "objective is to bring Gandhiji's vision of Swaraj -- deliverance from material and spiritual bondage -- to the forefront of today's struggles against all forms of violence."
Through his commitment to promote nonviolence in the international world, Rajiv participated in two 3-day long workshops on "Non-Violence and Social Action" held in Tibet in November and December 2001. These workshops, organized by Friends of Tibet (INDIA), aimed to create an environment for debate and dialogue on the choice of non-violence as a means of struggle for a free Tibet. These exercises will continue in the future in all Tibetan settlements in India, Nepal and Bhutan with an objective of building a network of trainers and volunteers from the Tibetan community.
Recently, Rajiv was chosen to head the India Office of the Nonviolent Peaceforce. The mission of the Peaceforce is: "To facilitate the creation of an international civilian nonviolent standing peace force. The peace force will be sent to conflict areas to prevent death and destruction and protect human rights, thus creating the space for local groups to struggle nonviolently, enter into dialogue, and seek peaceful resolution." In this position, his responsibliities included organizing the India Country Group and heading the planning for the Nonviolent Peaceforce Convening Event that was held November 28 to December 2, 2002. (For further information, contact the Nonviolent Peaceforce.)
In our world today, the news is filled with the violence of wars and terroist acts. It is a sign of great hope to hear of the life and commitment of Rajiv Vora and those he works with in letting us know that there is another way if we will listen and learn and act in the truth of the power of nonviolence.
*****
You are invited to study the related social justice issues of Disarmament and Peacemaking
in Social Justices Issues..
Acknowledgements
Rajiv's story was originally published in Rumors of Peace (May 2002),
print newsletter of the Nonviolent Peaceforce. Used with permission.
Adapted and expanded by Marguerite Samz, OSM.