Mumbai: Dr G G Parikh, one of the last surviving Gandhians and a veteran of India’s freedom struggle, passed away at his residence in Nana Chowk, Mumbai, at around 5.45 am on Gandhi Jayanti. He was 100.
A Life of Commitment to Gandhi’s Ideals
Parikh, who was a student at St. Xavier’s College during the 1942 Quit India movement, was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and social service. Arrested during the movement, he went on to dedicate his life to promoting khadi, village industries, cooperative movements, and socialist as well as secular politics.
In 1946, he founded a centre in Mumbai to encourage the use of khadi and rural industries. Decades later, in October 2024, he was still active, taking part in the launch of the Khadi Bhandar restoration plan on D N Road, where he served as chairperson of the Mumbai Village Industries Association.
Political Beliefs and Public Life
A staunch believer in democracy, Parikh never missed exercising his right to vote. In May 2024, he cast his ballot in Mumbai, arriving on a wheelchair. Speaking to reporters at the time, he recalled his first arrest in 1942 during a protest at Churchgate railway station, where he and fellow students attempted to halt train services.
Affectionately known as “G G” among friends and Gandhians, he had celebrated his 100th birthday in December 2024.
Tributes Pour In
Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, described Parikh as the “Saint of the Socialists,” saying he had left on Gandhi Jayanti the day of his greatest inspiration. Along with activist Feroze Mithiborwala, Gandhi noted in a statement that Dr Parikh “lived as he chose to and departed on the day of his choosing our country has lost a true Bharat Ratna today.”
The statement further underlined his legacy, calling him one of the last stalwarts of the freedom movement whose writings, work, and spirit would continue to inspire in challenging times.
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