Activities of the Trust

Simple and impactful quotations of Mahatma Gandhi are being diffused nationally and internationally, using all modern means of communication such as pens, posters, greeting cards and T-shirts. Besides, essay and web design contests, debates, seminars, music concerts, radio talks are also used to propagate Gandhian ideals.

Financial assistance is provided to Gandhian organisations, particularly, Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Gandhi Peace Foundation, and Sarva Seva Sangh, which is the central coordinating agency for all Sarvodaya Mandals in the country. Financial assistance is also provided to a number of educational and other organizations in various parts of India (as in the list here under), which are doing laudable work in promoting Gandhian ideals, inter religious understanding, communal harmony and humanitarian service, hereunder:

Sewagram Gandhi Ashram, Wardha
Sarva Seva Sangh, Wardha.
Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi
Institute of Gandhian Studies, Benares
Gandhi Peace Foundation(Karnataka), Bangalore
Karnataka Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Bangalore
Mohalla Committee Movement Trust, Mumbai
Nayi Azadi Andolan, Mumbai
Maharogi Seva Samiti, Warora
Mayurbanj Leprosy Home, Baripada, Orissa
Manav Sadhana, Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad
Kasturba Mahila Utthan Mandal, Laksmi Ashram, Kumaun
Aarohi, Hill People's Education and Health Centre,
Satoli, Nainital Dt.
Acharya Harihar Educational Trust, Bhubaneshwar
Kutch Artisans Relief Fund, Ahmedabad
Gandhi Ashram, Candi Dasa, Bali, Indonesia
Swami Vivekananda Tribal Welfare Centre,
Kenchanahalli, Mysore Dt.
Swami Vivekananda Integrated Rural Health Centre, Pavgada Tumkur Dt.
Inter Religious Harmony Movement, Bangalore
CREST, (Centre for Research, Education & Training), Bangalore
Bosco Oniyavara Seva Coota, Home for Destitute Boys, Bangalore
Asha Deep, Home for Destitute Girls, Bangalore
Bharat Nirman Prathistan, Bangalore
Sumangali Seva Ashram, Bangalore
Missionaries of Charity, Bhubaneshwar
Kalahandi Vikas Parishad, Sunbaheli, Dt. Naupada, Orissa
GRAVIS, Jodhpur 342 008, Rajasthan
Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Devdoongri, Brar P.O. Rajasthan
Public Concern for Governance Trust,Mumbai
Shanti Ashram,Coimbatore, Tamilnadu
SAHMATRafi Marg, New Delhi
Pilar Health CentrePort Blair
National Institute for Advanced Studies, Bangalore (donation of Books)
Kenya National Library, Nairobi (donation of books)
Aspen Institute, Aspen, Colorado, USA(donation of books)

As proper preservation and maintenance of Gandhian museums and ashrams is an important objective of SIT, close contact is maintained with these institutions and they are assisted wherever necessary both financially and in other ways.

Since 1996 Mahatma Gandhi's birthday has been annually celebrated in a joyful manner with concerts of classical music and/or dance in Bangalore. From 1999 onwards such concerts have also been held in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. In 2001, the Confederation of Indian Industry, cosponsored all these concerts as their respectful tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. On October 2nd, 2002, the New Delhi Chapter, which was launched on January 18, 2002, held a 'Festival of Harmony' on the lawns of India International Centre, in which 12 of New Delhi's leading schools participated.

Mahatma Gandhi's martyrdom day is observed in a solemn manner with peace marches and programmes of inter denominational prayers at Gandhi Bhavans in Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and New Delhi.

SIT Trustee Mrs. Mrinalini Sarabhai has, in October 1996, set up a Centre for the promotion of Non-Violence through the Arts, at the Darpana Academy for the Performing Arts, Ahmedabad, of which she is a founder. 

For promoting non violence and communal harmony 'Living in Harmony' workshops have been held for Bangalore school teachers since February 1997. Since then over 1000 teachers have been trained through these workshops. Similar workshops have also been held in New Delhi and Ahmedabad.

Two rolling trophies were instituted in January 1998 for the best literary and performing arts entries in the annual inter-school cultural festival in Bangalore on the theme of 'Non violence is true courage'.

Donations of Gandhian books have been made to a number of schools in Karnataka and other parts of India. A set of books on Gandhian thought and action programmes, by eminent foreign writers, has been presented to the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore in June 2001.

The Maharashtra Chapter has published a book entitled 'The Mahatma beyond Gandhi' in September 2001. In 2000 and 2001 they held Gandhi website design contests for school children from a number of schools in Mumbai.

The Gujarat Chapter launched a programme for the rehabilitation of the artisans of Kutch who had been victimized by the devastating earthquake of January 2001. This Chapter has also undertaken a major effort for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the February - April 2002 communal carnage in Gujarat. SIT has amply supported the Chapter in both these laudable undertakings.

In 2001 the Karnataka Chapter collaborated with a local NGO for constructing a community centre in the Koramangala slum of Bangalore. This multi-purpose community centre was opened by the Mayor of Bangalore in March 2002.

New Regional Chapters were opened in New Delhi(2002)in Tamilnadu (2003) in Kerala (2005) and in Goa &Orissa (2006). The Jammu and Kashmir Chapter is expected to be launched by early August 2007.

The Karnataka Chapter's second community centre,located at Nallakadirinahalli Village in ChikballapurDistrict was inaugurated by Lt. General S.S.Mehta,Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry,on April 14, 2007

The SIT publication 'Gandhi's OutstandingLeadership',authored by its Managing Trustee P.A.Nazareth, was released in New Delhi by formerPrime Minister I.K.Gujral on March 21st, 2006 and atthe UN in New York by Under Secretary General Shashi Taroor on December 12, 2006. It has elicited extensivepraise.

SIT's international activity is focused on networking with Gandhian organisations abroad and collaborating with them in establishing an international movement based on Gandhian ideals. SIT's website has links to a number of these organizations. SIT has also made donations of Gandhian books to the National Library of Kenya and to the Aspen Institute at Aspen, Colorado, USA, which in 2000, 2001 and 2002 invited the SIT Managing Trustee to participate in its Executive Seminars as a special invitee.