Anil Agrawal
Elected on 14 December, at the 2023 AGM
Dear Esteemed Members of the Community,
Anil Agrawal, President, Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of OttawaAs I humbly step into the role of President of the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa, I wish first to pay homage to our outgoing President, Rashmi Gupta, and the retiring members of our Board, Dr. Anne Vallely, Seleena Desjardins, Dinesh Mohan, and Swapna Manjusha Shail. Their selfless service, unwavering dedication, and valuable contributions have been the bedrock of our Council’s achievements. Under Rashmi’s Leadership and the stewardship of various members of the Board, the Council has flourished, becoming a cornerstone of peace and educational outreach in the Ottawa community.
Today, as we stand on the shoulders of these giants, we carry forward a legacy that spans many years of dedicated service. The Council has been a beacon of enlightenment through its myriad educational activities, profoundly enriching our community and fostering a culture of peace, understanding, and Gandhian principles.
As your new President, I am committed to working closely with our new Board to build upon this illustrious legacy. I invite you, our board members, and the broader community to join hands in promoting Gandhian values, which are more relevant today than ever. Let us unite and be dedicated to further the cause of peace and harmony in our diverse community.
As we embark on this new chapter, I welcome our new Board of Directors. Your willingness to contribute to the Peace Council’s noble cause is inspiring and vital. Together, we will function as a close-knit team, channeling our collective energies to further the cause of the Peace Council. I encourage each of you to actively enhance the visibility and presence of the Peace Council within all Ottawa communities. Through our educational initiatives, let us spread widespread awareness of Gandhi’s messages of peace, non-violence, harmony, mutual love, and compassion. Our united efforts will undoubtedly create a more peaceful, understanding, and loving society, true to the vision of Mahatma Gandhi.
To the beautiful mosaic of communities in Ottawa, we at the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa extend our heartfelt commitment to sharing Gandhiji’s timeless messages. Our mission transcends beyond mere words; we are dedicated to actively engaging every neighborhood, every group, and every individual with our educational and outreach initiatives. These initiatives are designed to echo the principles of peace, non-violence, and mutual respect that Mahatma (the Great Soul) Gandhi stood for. We warmly invite everyone to join us in this meaningful journey. Whether it is through participating in our events, contributing your ideas, or supporting us through donations, every effort counts. Together, we can build a stronger, more harmonious community, reflecting the ideals of understanding and compassion that Mahatma Gandhi championed. Your support, in any form, is the cornerstone of our success and the driving force that enables us to make a lasting impact in our diverse city.
In the tapestry of Ottawa’s multicultural society, Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy shines as a beacon of hope and harmony. Gandhiji’s life and contributions to the world were political, deeply moral, and spiritual, offering timeless principles that resonate profoundly in our modern world rife with strife and disharmony. His profound teachings, like ‘Be the change that you wish to see in the world’ and ‘Non-violence is the weapon of the strong,’ hold particular relevance today, guiding us towards peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
Gandhi’s philosophy has inspired world leaders. Martin Luther King Jr., who once said, ‘Gandhi was inevitable. If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable,’ adopting non-violence in his fight for civil rights. As influenced by Gandhi, Nelson Mandela led South Africa out of apartheid with a similar spirit of reconciliation and peace.
Gandhi’s message of simple living, empathy, and truth transcends cultural boundaries, making it especially vital for Ottawa’s diverse communities. His example of peaceful resistance and unwavering commitment to justice and equality inspires us to foster a community where every voice is heard and valued.
As we invite you to support and participate in the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council’s initiatives, we remember Gandhi’s words, ‘In a gentle way, you can shake the world.’ Let us embrace these principles, contributing to a world of greater peace, understanding, and love.”
Members of the Peace Council, if you wish to attend any of our Board Meetings, you are welcome to join us and give your input to our discussions. You can also contribute your ideas.
With heartfelt gratitude and anticipation,
Anil Agrawal
President, Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa
Brief bio-data of Anil Agrawal
Anil Agrawal has an educational background in Electronics, followed by nearly 30 years of career in the field of computers and information technology. For the past 25 years, he has been engaged in business advisory and coaching services to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Since 2004, he has been actively involved in community organizations. He actively served the India-Canada Friendship Circle (ICFC) from 2005-2012, joined the Mahatma Gandhi Society in 2006, incorporated the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa in 2009, obtained Charity status in 2010, served the Peace Council until 2013 and then served the Indo-Canadian Community Centre (ICCC) since 2011. For the past ten years, he has been peripherally active in providing technology and some administrative services to the Peace Council. He brings a lengthy community service background and enormous enthusiasm to raise the Peace Council’s profile in the community.
Rashmi Gupta
Dear Members and Friends of Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa
Greetings!
I am humbled, honoured and privileged to assume the role of President of the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa for the upcoming year (2017-18).
I am inspired by the dedication and ongoing contribution of Dr. Jag Humar, Distinguished Research Professor at Carleton University, and Prof. Noel Salmond, Professor of Religious Studies in the College of The Humanities at Carleton University, in developing the vision for the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa. This has resulted in lots of achievements over the past years, such as a bronze life-size statue of Mahatma Gandhi on Carleton University campus. Gandhiji’s statue is a constant reminder of the life and relevance of Gandhi in today’s world.
The MGPC has sponsored, organized, and participated in various talks, events, and conferences related to peace and non-violence over the past years. The list includes: Lecture by Douglas Cardinal, Architect, April 21, 2016 on “A Centre for Peace: A Vision for the Sacred Islands in the Ottawa River;” and MGPC’s participation in a Peace March to protect the sacred Chaudière site, led by the Grandmothers of Pikwakanagan (Golden Lake) First Nation (June 2016). It was to support the cause to protect reservation of the area as a national park (as called for in the longstanding National Capital plan) rather than having it turned into condominiums. The details (and recording) of these events can be found on the MGPC website.
Dr. Mayurika Chakravorty, the outgoing president of the Peace Council, has done admirable work for the Peace Council during the past 2 years. I intend to build on her achievements. I look forward to continuing this important work towards fulfilling the mission of MGPC.
In the upcoming year, along with the entire Board, I would like to focus on: 1) increasing visibility/relevance of the organization by collaboration with other similar organizations and events, 2) more active participation in community outreach events to further the educational mandate of the organization, and 3) reach out to youth to spread Gandhian ideas and thoughts.
In this regard, on behalf of the Board, I sincerely request each and every member and friend of the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa for help. If you have any suggestions for future events and direction of the organization, please get in touch with us through the contact us page on the website.
Members of MGPC are also welcome to attend our board meetings (usually held once a month) and share their ideas and vision. We will post the dates of Board Meetings on the website.
Mahatma Gandhi provided the world with his timeless philosophy of nonviolence, which itself is normative. It applies to any situation. Gandhi’s concept of nonviolence aims first of all, to re-instate the dignity of the human being. Peaceful resistance and nonviolent cooperation against oppression and injustice are extremely relevant in today’s world. It is very important that together, we find positive ways to educate our children and youth in these tools and strategies as they face the world.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Rashmi Gupta
President
Rashmi was born in Varanasi, India. She completed her M.Sc. in Physics from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and continued on Ph.D. work in Elementary Particle Physics there. She had a brilliant career in information technology and business management: Director, Sales and Marketing at ProSoya Inc., Chief Architect/Sr. Director for Applications and Technology at Human Resource Corporation Canada; and Senior Manager at Accenture, Canada.
Rashmi received Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 award (ICCC award given by Prime Minister Stephen Harper). Since 2016, after taking retirement from ProSoya, she has been pursuing a career in visual arts (painting). She is also a poet and singer. Her book of poems ‘Aviral Rashmi’ was published in the year 2002. She is the producer of Canadian feature film, ‘Passage to Ottawa,’ which was released in 2001 and won five international awards, and another film ‘Prisoner X’ that was released in 2016.
Rashmi served Mukul Hindi School as cultural coordinator and as chairperson. She was a volunteer to Child Haven International. She is a life member of Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa and has been on the MGPC board since 2016.
Dr. Mayurika Chakravorty
Dear Members and Friends of Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa,
Greetings!
First, I would like to thank the Board for giving me the chance to lead the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa for the upcoming year (2015-16). I would like to thank Prof. Noel Salmond and Dr. Jag Humar for their dedication to the organization and for their vision in leading the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa. A lot has been achieved in the past few years. We have the bronze life-size statue of Gandhi on Carleton University campus that serves as a constant reminder of the life and relevance of Gandhi in today’s world. The MGPC, with the generous help of its patrons and friends, has also successfully established the M.K. Gandhi Annual Lecture on Peace and Humanities at Carleton University. It has sponsored, organized, and participated in various talks, events, and conferences related to peace and non-violence. The details (and recording) of these events can be found on the MGPC website.
I look forward to continue these endeavours, and in particular, would like to focus on two areas in the upcoming year. First, membership and publicity, and secondly, community outreach events to further the educational mandate of the organization to spread Gandhian ideas and thought. In this regard, I seek the active help of each and every member and friend of the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa. If you have any proposals about future events and direction of the organization, please get in touch with us and we shall definitely consider every suggestion/proposal that we receive. Members of MGPC are also welcome to attend our board meetings (usually held once a month) and share their ideas and vision.
In today’s world, as we are constantly jolted by meaningless acts of terror and violence around us against fellow human beings, it is needless to say that Gandhian ways of peaceful resistance and nonviolent cooperation against oppression and injustice, are supremely relevant. These are also useful tools and strategies that we must equip our youth with as they deal with the global realities. With your help and support of the larger community, it is our mission to make Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa a foremost organization in the national capital region that promotes Gandhian thought.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Mayurika Chakravorty, PhD
Short Bio of Dr. Mayurika Chakravorty
Mayurika was born and raised in Kolkata, India and later went to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi where she completed her M. A. and M. Phil in English Literature. She was the recipient of the Felix Scholarship for doctoral research, and completed her PhD from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), London, UK in 2011. Since moving to Ottawa, Canada in 2011, she has been teaching in the English Department, Carleton University, Ottawa. She teaches courses on South Asian Literature, Postcolonial Studies, and Diaspora Literature. Outside her academic engagements, she has also been involved in community outreach projects. In London, UK, she was part of a University of London project on immigrant Bangladeshi women in Brick Lane. She has been on the board of Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa since 2011.