A Tribute for Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Birthday (October 2, 1869) & Non-Violence
[TurkishLibrary.Us | Oct 27, 2018, New York]
The Light Millennium Television | LMTV conducted an exclusive on-camera studio interview with Dnyaneshwar Yewatkar, the bicyclist and social activist from India based on his tour called, “World Friendship Bicycle March”.
Dnyaneshwar (Dnyan, in short) has started his huge and noble journey to spread out the message and vision of Mahatma Gandhi to the world out of India in November 2016. Along with Gandhi’s message the core message of all great personalities like – nonviolence, truth, clean & peaceful society.
Until today, Dnyan has covered over 32586 miles through India, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Bali, Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea, USA and all South East Asian countries. While he travels, visiting Schools, Colleges and Universities to bring in the front line the Gandhian vision and thought of peace, non-violence and self-sustenance.
Along with spreading Gandhi’s philosophy, Dnyan is meeting with President or Prime Minister of the country to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as “The Year of Non-violence fiesta 2019” towards to organize different programs for public engagement and awareness at large.
Dnayn (27 years old) has been touring over the bicycle over 4 months in the U.S. alone starting off San Francisco. Currently, he has arrived to New Jersey and has been the special guest for the LMTV’s on-camera studio-recording at QPTV in Flushing, New York. LMTV thanks very much to Mr. Arvind Vora, NGO Representative to the United Nations Department of Public Information of the Anuvrat Global Organization based in Jaipur, India for the initial introduction of Dnyan to producer Bircan Ünver with a potential interview proposal.
Dnyan introduces himself in his initial letter as follow: “I am Dnyaneshwar Yewatkar from Wardha, Maharashtra has been attempting to cycle the world alone to spread the message of peace and friendship as envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi, That Gandhi being ideal does not come as a surprise as my hometown, Wardha, was in the forefront of the Indian freedom movement and remains a bastion of Gandhian values of nonviolence and civil disobedience. It was inevitable that some of those ideals stuck with me like words to a page.”
STORY OF DNYAN YEWATKAR
In 2008, at the age of 18, walked across India without a dime in his pocket. Traveling length and breadth of India, and staying in the Himalayas for a while.
Returned home in 2010, much wizened, and completed studies. Not surprisingly, ventured into social service — virtually a non-paying job. Started a social group,
Maitri Sadhana, involved 10 college students as volunteers. Always he sees his work more as a duty and responsibility rather than charity. worked in more than 30 villages to stop drinking and smoking addiction. Closely worked with street children taking care of them to teaching. Recognizing this Maharashtra Govt. has awarded him with, ‘Mahatma Gandhi Seva Puraskaar’ in July 2014.
A chance reading of a book, “No Destination: Autobiography of a Pilgrim,” gave a new purpose to my life. The book details the travelogue of two Indians who walked nearly 13,000km across the world at the height of Cold War in the 1970s.
With only ideals and values to support, set off on cycle-tour 15th November, (Vinba Bhave Death Anniversary) in Mahatma Gandhi, Sevagram Ashram, Wardha, named “Vishwa Maitri Yatra,” or “World Peace & Friendship Trip” shall go on for 1095 days (3 years) while Dnyan will be bicycling the world throughout the 2019 for Gandhi’s 150th Birth Anniversary, which will end off on 2nd October 2020 on the Occasions of Mahatma Gandhi 151th Birth Anniversary in Pakistan.
Throughout his tour, he aims to spread the message of peace, non-violence and friendship across Asia, America, Europe, Africa and Central Asia along with 75 countries.
His commitment to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, which are of universal and timeless relevance for building a just, peaceful and sustainable world. Hoping for a safe and secure passage across our diverse planet.
Dnyan is a humble worker at the grassroots and the love and gratitude which the people have for him in the villages he has impacted are the strongest evidence of his impact in addition to physical evidence easily identifiable in villages. He is devout and deeply reverent of all religions and struggles and aspirations of all classes of our country. He shows a national spirit in having enduring commitments in North East and Kashmir.
In spite of having no formal orientation in social work, yet, he has a vivid sense of possibilities of reforms present in villages and urban slums. He feels kinship towards and has carved out a deeply bonded network of youths of his generation from across country, passionate for national welfare, and can address large public gatherings boldly. His roots are strong in the value tradition of Sarvodaya, of Gandhiji, of truth, humility and service. He is not shy to take up cleaning public toilets even alone.
Dnyan has completed the Gram Swarjya Bicycle Tour for 2 months in 2011. This tour covered the Ratnagiri and its adjoining coastal areas of Konkan, the total distance covered was about 2000 km. In 2013 Dnyan also completed another bicycle tour (Kisan Jagruti Yatra) in the Yavatmal District of Maharashtra. In 2015 he completed the2 month long. Maitri yatra also on bicycle covering the Wardha District of Maharashtra and travelled 1800 km.
In his letter, Dnyan informs his contact Mr. Vora based in New York about his visit of New Jersey and New York and asking his kind cooperation with respect to some tasks such as the arrangement and interactive programs with the local community as well as if possible some student interaction sessions in his recommended schools and universities.
This is also how, through Mr. Vora, LMTV seized this unique opportunity and conducted a studio-interview for an hour program to be cable-casted on the local channels that also will be available through Lightmillennium.Org website by February 2019.
Stay in tune…
LMTV is set out at QPTV Studio with Dnyan Yewatkar (The Bicyclist/Social Activist), Bircan Ünver (LMTV, Producer/Host), Mario Paredes (Studio Manager, QPTV), Oswald Williams (Technical Director, LMTV) & Ross Nieves (Community Development Outreach Manager, QPTV) on Friday, October 27, 2018.
Here are a few news coverages:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/07/177_253012.html
https://www.shine.cn/archive/feature/people/All-the-world-is-a-road-for-man-on-a-mission/shdaily.shtml
http://indiansinchina.com/indian-cycling-world-alone-spread-message-peace-friendship/
https://thewire.in/culture/indian-cycles-gandhis-message
https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/indian-cyclist-dnyaneshwar-yewatkar-on-peace-mission-to-spread-mahatma-gandhis-message/721279/
– Posted on October 27, 2018.
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