Contributed papers presented at the International Conference on Peace, Non-violence, and Empowerment: Gandhian Philosophy in the 21st Century, convened by the Indian National Congress in New Delhi on January 29-30, 2007.

When Mahatma Gandhi died in 1948 by an assassin's bullet, the most potent legacy he left to the world was the technique of satyagraha (literally, holding on to the Truth). His "experiments with Truth" were far from complete at the time of his death, but he had developed a new technique for effecting social and political change through the constructive conduct of conflict: Gandhian satyagraha had become eminently more than "passive resistance" or "civil disobedience." By relating what Gandhi said to what he did and by examining instances of satyagraha led by others, this book abstracts from the Indian experiments those essential elements that constitute the Gandhian technique. It explores, in terms familiar to the Western reader, its distinguishing characteristics and its far-reaching implications for social and political philosophy.

“A fascinating, thought-provoking, helpful and heartening book.”—Los Angeles Times “Juergensmeyer’s book is something of a Gandhian tour de force — a careful analysis and series of applications of Gandhi’s concepts of satyagraha … to everyday situations with which most Western readers are familiar.”—Religious Studies Review “This is a manual of instruction in the best sense: a popular reassessment of the activist use of satyagraha in conflict resolution that has depth and a true appreciation for the ethical subtleties of dialectical struggles, and for the multiple dimensions of ‘passive resistance.’”—Library Journal

What can we learn from Mahatma Gandhi as far as leadership is concerned? Mahatma Gandhi needs no introduction. An icon revered by millions across the world, he led a country to freedom through methods and principles never used before. What was it about Gandhi that made him an icon? How did a frailordinary man bring about a revolution? And how did he manage to rope in the poor, the working class, the elite and the intelligentsia to work together? In this one-of-a-kind self-help book, Virender Kapoor analyses Gandhi's methods and derives leadership lessons from his life, explaining how readers can successfully employ these in their own lives. He reveals how Gandhi carefully analysed situations, the precursor of SWOT analysis before formulating the best way to deal with them. It was thus that he formulated the idea of Satyagraha. He also shows that Gandhi understood the power of emotional appeal and used sincerity rather than empty rhetoric to maximize on this. In other words, he 'walked the talk'. These and other strategies by Gandhi provide important lessons for leaders of any era, in any capacity. The key, he reveals, is to adapt, rather than adopt, Gandhi's philosophy in action.