From Bernie Meyer - American Gandhi

Dear Delia,
Congrats on your award. The words youshared about the meaning of Gandhi's message today aremost meaningful to me. For example, on September 2rdI participated in a citizens action at Indian IslandNaval weapons base here in Washington State. 500attended. I was arrested with 36 others blocking thebase entrance. We are concerned about the weaponsused in Iraq and possibly in Iran. So, we carry onin Gandhi's light, as well as others.Also, we are working on producing a video of therecent Salt Walk. I'll keep you posted.
Namaste, Bernie Meyer

From Roda Billimoria Mumbai

My dear Delia Maria,

I was thrilled to receive your email informing your friends of the honour you have bestowed indeed you deserve this and perhaps this is just the beginning of many more to follow.

Your message, sentiments and observation on the relevance of Gandhiji are very appropriate. His educational philosophy or Basic Education as it is known, if but only followed, can turn the nation around to a more self reliant and self-respecting one. But unfortunately we are chasing the I. B. (International system) and in the process losing out on what we have.

Though I cannot claim to be a Gandhian in the true spirit of the word, I none the less consider Gandhiji to be more relevant today. May God Bless you and may you continue to achieve all that you have set out to do.

With warmest regards and heartiest congratulations once again.

Roda B. Billimoria

Sir Shapurji Billimoria Foundation

From Satish Khot NSCC Pune

Hi there Delia,

That was very good news. Congrats!! I am really very happy.

You are right when you say that the white sahib's role has been taken over by the brown sahib. The politician and the bureaucrat have usurped that position and at times whether we have regressed. But then the more citizens become aware of his rights and responsibilities and involved in governing their own lives, will we see the brown sahib culture fading. The belief that Government apna mai-baap has been with us for too long and has to be done away with.

Furthermore what you said that many struggles are Gandhian even though we may not profess to follow Gandhian thought is also apt. .

Wish you all the best and confess I do like working with you. Thanks.

Satish
ps: I too went through a gamut of defining roles and still am searching.
pps: I used to work with the Sarvodaya at their ashrams - but was not close to them as I felt they were not close to the people they worked with with because of their holier that thou attitude and inflexibility.