Laxman Gole

Laxman Gole

Laxman Gole is a contemporary Indian Gandhian who has been described as the real-life Munnabhai.[1][2] He is the 2011 winner of Zindagi Live National Award given by IBN-7.[3][4] He is the subject of a film by award-winning documentary filmmaker Madhavi Tangella.[5] Prayaschit, Gunahon Ke Zakhm , a TV show on Sony Entertainment Television, hosted by Tisca Chopra had an episode based on his life.[6]

Early life

Gole grew up in Kurla a suburb of Mumbai. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 when he was in VII standard. He also attended boarding school in Nanded.[7][8] As a juvenile, he fought and slashed a person, resulting in an arrest. However, his age was wrongly recorded as 19, and he was sent to Arthur Road jail.[9]

Period of conflict with the law

The time Gole spent in jail gave him a bad reputation and brought him in contact with criminals. He says, "To some extent I blame the police for making me a criminal".[9] He spent over seven years in jail as an undertrial and prisoner for assault, attempt to murder and extortion,[10] with 19 cases filed against him.[11]

Encounter with Gandhi's philosophy

It was while being held in Nashik jail under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act that Gole came across Gandhi's autobiography – The story of my experiments with truth.

A story in The Telegraph compares this with the incident in the film Munnabhai MBBS in which Gandhi "appears" to the protagonist of the film Munnabahi.[12] Reading the book made Gole realise the fruitlessness of violence, falsity, crime and hatred; he was impressed by Gandhi's courage in coming in terms with his mistakes and seeking forgiveness for them, in order to get on with life. Gole decided to plead guilty to the charges laid against him, he wrote a letter to the judge sitting over his case admitting the charges against him and expressed regret for them.[10][11] The judge warned him that doing so could result in him being sent to prison for seven years, but Gole declared that he was prepared to bear whatever punishment he deserved.[10] Gole also wrote letters to those he had hurt apologising to them.[13] Impressed by Gole's admission of his guilt and his desire for atoning for the wrong doings he had committed, the judge gave him a sentence reduced to half. He was acquitted in 18 cases, sentenced for four years in one case and for two months in another. This sentence too was reduced to two years.[12]

Life after release from jail

After release from Nasik jail, Gole began working for the Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal, lecturing on Gandhian philosophy in various Indian jails including Tihar jail.[14] He has trained in computers and runs his own NGO Saksham Peace foundation.[15]

Personal life

Gole under the influence of Gandhian philosophy gave up consuming meat and alcohol.[11] Gole is married and has two children.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Shaikh, Zeeshan (January 9, 2008). "Real-life Munnabhai, in Nashik jail". Hindustan Times. Nashik. Retrieved 2016-02-14. The 30-year-old once had 19 cases of assault and extortion against him. He now swears by non-violence. The transformation, much like the character of Sanjay Dutt in the blockbuster movie Lage Raho Munnabhai, is thanks to Mahatma Gandhi.
  2. ↑ Goenka, Barkha (May 16, 2014). "A rendezvous with 'The Real Life Munnabhai!' at Mundle Hall in Nagpur – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
  3. ↑ "Laxman Gole award" (video). IBN 7 Jindagi Live Awards.wmv. IBN-7. Retrieved February 18, 2016 – via YouTube.
  4. ↑ "Current News: 'IBN7 Zindagi Live National Award' for Laxman Gole who regrets life of Crime to become Gandhian Practitioner". www.mkgandhi.org. IBN-7. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
  5. ↑ Shukla, Aparna (13 July 2015). "From a convict to a social worker, Ghandhiji's values changed Laxman Gole's life forever | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". Daily News and Analysis. Mumbai. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
  6. ↑ "Tisca Chopra to host crime reality show – NDTV Movies". NDTVMovies.com. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  7. ↑ "Prayaschit-Gunahon Ke Zakhm". video.india.com. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  8. ↑ "Ex-convict secures varsity teacher's post | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  9. 1 2 "The Arthur Road redemption | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". Daily News & Analysis. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  10. 1 2 3 "'Gandhiji changed my life'". The Hindu. 2010-12-11. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  11. 1 2 3 "Experimenting with Gandhi's experiments". www.afternoondc.in. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  12. 1 2 "The Telegraph – Calcutta (Kolkata) | Nation | The Buzz in Big Cities". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  13. ↑ "Gandhi's Life Story Inspires a Prisoner: Prisoner confessed his Crime after reading an Autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi". Comprehensive Website by Gandhian Institutions-Bombay. Sarvodaya Mandal & Gandhi Research Foundation. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  14. ↑ "106 prisoners take exam on Gandhian thoughts". Afternoon Despatch & Courier. www.afternoondc.in. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  15. 1 2 "Reformed criminal spreads Gandhian thoughts – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
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