Gandhi Foundation

Beginnings
"Richard Attenborough’s film on Gandhi attracted enormous audiences around the world and some of the fascination of the real man was vividly portrayed by Ben Kingsley’s sensitive portrayal. The time was ripe for a Gandhi society and so Surur Hoda, an Indian working for the International Transport Worker’s Federation in Britain, made the vital contacts.  "One of the key figures was David Ennals, a former cabinet minister in a Labour Government, who had recently been given a life peerage. Another was a prominent member of the Society of Friends, Cecil Evans, Assistant General Secretary of Quaker peace and Service. The Friends have a long-standing interest in Gandhi whose ideas and life are so congruent with the ideas they profess. "These three then approached Richard Attenborough in the hope he would agree to be the President of such a society, which he did. "Many other people thought likely to be sympathetic to this venture were contacted and on 10 October 1983 The Gandhi Foundation was launched at a meeting attended by about 200 people in Friends House in London. "David Ennals became Chair, Surur Hoda the General Secretary, and Cecil Evans was called Adviser.  David Ennals died in 1995 and was succeeded as Chair by Cecil Evans.  Surur Hoda, the most significant figure in the Gandhi Foundation during 20 years, died in 2003, while Cecil Evans is no longer so active."

Executive Trustees

 * Richard Attenborough (President of The Gandhi Foundation and Director of the film "Gandhi")
 * Graham Davey (Treasurer, and Co-ordinator of the Summer School)
 * Cecil Evans (Former Chairperson and a Founder of The Gandhi Foundation)
 * David Maxwell (Gandhi Foundation) (Co-ordinator of the Multifaith Service, and Educational Work)
 * Omar Hayat (Convenor of Gandhi Peace Award Committee)
 * Mirabai Narayan (Liaison with Kingsley Hall, and Educational Work)
 * George Paxton (Editor of “The Gandhi Way”, and maintains the list of Friends of The Gandhi Foundation)
 * John Rowley (Co-ordinator of Special Events and Projects)

Contact

 * Web: http://www.gandhifoundation.org

Related Sourcewatch

 * Promoting Enduring Peace
 * Diana Schumacher - former trustee