Ode to Mahatma

Hyderabad-based artist Susheel Kumar Gotla has brought Mahatma Gandhi’s soul to life in a series of ten paintings, each capturing a different mood of the iconic leader. His works, which pay tribute to Gandhi’s legacy, are now permanently displayed at the Library and Research Centre for Gandhian Studies, Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, Wardha.

Gotla’s connection to Sevagram Ashram began when he applied for an international fellowship program on Peace and Nonviolence, co-organised by Sevagram Ashram, MGM University, Sabarmati Ashram, and Gujarat Vidyapith. During the fellowship, Gotla participated in an international symposium on Gandhi and Beyond: Quest for a New World Order, where he presented his artistic interpretations of Gandhi.

He spent 40 days creating a series of paintings. “One of the most poignant moments in Mahatma Gandhi’s life occurred during the Champaran Satyagraha,” he said, referencing Gandhi’s autobiography, My Experiments with Truth, and how the emotional impact of that chapter influenced his work. Gotla elaborates on his display that grasps the ethos of the Champaran Satyagraha, a key nonviolent movement led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917 to combat the exploitation of farmers in Bihar who were forced to grow indigo. He shares, “I have been contemplating creating a series of paintings depicting the same. My inspiration stems from learning about Mahatma Gandhi and his wife, Kasturba’s direct involvement in the Champaran peasants’ struggle against the oppressive practice of forced indigo cultivation. My art is primarily focused on storytelling and historical significance.”