400 colleges, 31 districts: PE teacher’s mission to take Gandhiji to Karnataka’s youth

Meet Abida Begum, a senior physical education teacher at Government First Grade College in T. Dasarahalli, Bengaluru, who has been visiting government and private colleges across Karnataka to conduct workshops exclusively on the life of Mahatma Gandhi without charging students a single penny.

Ms. Abida has been working for more than 10 years to spread the message of Gandhiji’s life and principles.

She said, “If not a major change, students can get inspired by Gandhiji’s life and may have brought small changes in their lives. From simple aspects such as being disciplined, valuing time and punctuality, and being honest in what they do at college and beyond the classroom, the lessons are endless.”

For Ms. Abida, her father, Aftab Ahmed Khan, was the inspiration behind her efforts to learn and study more about Gandhiji. “He was a Gandhian and, growing up, I was always inspired by him. I thought knowledge must be shared. Hence, in 2016, I conducted a workshop on Gandhiji’s life and principles at the college where I worked in Ramanagara. The word spread and a few more colleges started approaching me to conduct workshops and camps for their students too. By 2026, I have visited more than 400 colleges, both private and government, across all 31 districts of Karnataka,” she explained.

She said, “Recently, I visited a private college in Kagwad, a border taluk in Belagavi district. The college administration was surprised to know that such workshops were being conducted. They said Gandhian thought is the need of the hour, especially for their students.”

Elaborating on why Gandhiji and his thoughts remain relevant even today, she said, “Many youngsters think Gandhiji is not relevant in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Whenever I visit colleges, students question me about his relevance in their lives when technology is evolving on a daily basis. Gandhiji’s principle that honesty is the best policy does not merely mean speaking the truth. It also means doing tasks, whether at home, college or the workplace, with honesty. Self-reliance is another principle that remains relevant even today. Why do you think there are so many start-ups? Because they are working to make the country self-reliant. Non-violence is another reason why the world needs him today,” Ms. Abida explained.

She said, “I never force college administrations to host my workshops. Some do not show interest due to a lack of time, while a majority have agreed to provide me with space to conduct these workshops.”

Two way conversations during workshops

“During these workshops, some students speak about the fake news circulated on social media about Gandhiji. Many students judge him based on such misinformation. In such instances, I clear the air and present facts. I also recommend books on Gandhiji. The next time I visit the same colleges, students tell me about the changes they have made in their lives,” Ms. Abida said.

She also collaborates with the Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi and the National Service Scheme, Youth Empowerment and Sports Department to conduct a seven-day State-level Youth Camp. “These camps are based on ‘Human Values through Gandhian Thoughts’. Students who participate are provided accommodation facilities. Through Gandhian thought, I, along with more resource persons, teach them leadership, communication skills, spinning the charkha and making khadi. There are many such activities planned for the camp.”

She has also successfully conducted the Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha across Karnataka for the past 10 years. It is an initiative of the Gandhi Research Foundation in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, and she is the coordinator for the examination in Karnataka.

She said, “This year, around 8,000 students registered for the examination and only 325 cleared it. Students are given study material and anybody can participate. Different age groups are provided different study material for the examination. It is usually conducted every February.”