Beyond Pipes and Dreams : the life of vithal balakrishna gandhi

Rs. 799/-

This is the story of a boy who dreamed! What opportunities could there have been for the son of a humble and unlettered vegetable vendor? Vithal Balkrishna Gandhi started life in the most precarious conditions. From Ratnagiri to Bombay and onward to America, he persevered in his quest for an education, to rise above his birth and circumstances. It was to be a journey of incredible courage, from poverty to social success, on to the corridors of power. Perhaps destiny and fortune did smile upon him but Vithal Gandhi struggled through and earned every step of his way. He lived in challenging times, was in the front lines of India's freedom struggle and was privileged to have rubbed shoulders with the great patriots of the century. In many ways he was a child of his times, beating the odds and coming out stronger.

Many voices, now silent, speak through this book providing rare glimpses into transcendent moments of our nation's history. Vithal Gandhi himself is an engaging personality with a flair for wit and a talent for friendship. His personal life is as engrossing as his public avatar. The suave Columbia University student, the bright political activist mentored by Lala Lajpat Rai, the bold young entrepreneur who had huge dreams, dedicated corporator, honoured member of India's very first Parliament founder of a noted business empire and a family man. His courtship and marriage to his wife Susheela, a strong-minded doctor, is a delightful chapter. We meet his vibrant daughter Leela and brilliant son Arvind, who carried their father's vision forward and upward. Whether it was a 'pipe dream' or a wish upon a star, Vithal Gandhi's life was a triumph as future generations of his family will testify.