At 93, Gandhian inspires Kovai youth

Immediately, the youth stopped wearing trousers and switched to khadi wear and donned the Gandhian cap. Now, even at the very senior age of 93, Ramanlal Pujaram Dave has not veered from a Gandhian lifestyle.

The nonagenarian wakes up at 5 in the morning and goes for a brisk hour-long walk all alone, with just his wooden stick keeping him company. “I still remember my meeting with the Mahatma and Panditji,” says Ramanlal.Though he was too young to take part in the freedom struggle, he decided to follow in the footsteps of Gandhi. He started wearing cotton dhotis, khadi kurtas and a Gandhi cap.

After clearing matriculation, he joined a private company in August 1940 and went on to serve there for the next 23 years. Then, in the 1970s, he started his own motor pump set and bearing business in Coimbatore. His Semicon private Ltd and Hindustan Trading Company expanded to Ahmadabad, Chennai, Pondicherry, Rajasthan and Gurgaon.

Like most Gandhians, he is quite disillusioned with today’s youth, “In the past, people were hardworking, honest, simple, helpful, understood the value of time and money, believed in charity and religious customs. The current generation is living in a fake world and is attracted towards fancy things which bring momentary happiness. I wish the modern generation could still retain the values of our culture and simplicity living in their own way and without changing themselves.”

Born in a middle class family in Sojitra, a town in Gujarat, he went on to contribute to the creation of prestigious cultural and educational institiutions in Coimbatore. He is the vice chairman of Bharaitya Vidya Bhavan, founder trustee of Kikani school, founder of Coimbatore Gujarati Brahma Samaj, Dakshin Bharat Gujrathi Vrahma Samaj and adviser to the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya industrial division. In his ripe 90s, his steps may falter at times, but the unflagging spirit of the khadi-clad veteran continues to inspire the youth.