I am very happy to commend this publication of the Peace Research Centre of the Gujarat Vidyapith. The Centre is playing an innovative role for promotion of Non-violent Society through Seminars, Training Courses and Kamalnayan Bajaj Memorial Lectures on "Science and Non-violence ". This is a subject of supreme importance for the survival of humanity and there could be no greater tribute to Mahatma Gandhi than promoting reconciliation between' Science and Non-violence'. I hope this small endeavour will be welcomed by all those who are concerned about the future of mankind.
This publication is an outcome of three lectures delivered by Shri Lanza del Vasto (Shantidasji) on October 18-20, 1977. He was invited by Peace Research Centre, Gujarat Vidyapith to deliver these lectures.
It was the first lecture series of Shri Kamalnayan Bajaj Memorial Lectures on 'Science and Non-violence'. An endowment from the family members of the late Shri Kamalnayan Bajaj facilitated these lecture series every year to cherish his memory by promoting a subject which exercised his mind in the last years of his life, under the inspiration of Shri Vinoba Bhave.
Lanza del Vasto is deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave. Like Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave, he is also engaged in promoting the philosophy and practice of non-violence in the Western hemisphere by establishing a community of Ark-a rural community at La Borie Noble in Southern France. This Ashram is self-reliant in every respect. It is a laboratory for non-violent social order in the West where affluence of industrialisation have jeopardised the peaceful human existence and created innumerable problems. These lectures clearly indicate that prevailing so-called modern style of the West would bring the mankind on the verge of destruction through misuse of science. The world can be saved from prudent application of Science and Technology through non-violent and non-exploitative methods.
Shantidasji came in contact with Mahatma Gandhi in 1937. This brought about a total transformation of his life and he set up a Gandhian Ashram in the over-developed country like France. He has poignantly pointed out the destructive potential of Science without Ethics.
The Peace Research Centre of the Gujarat Vidyapith was fortunate in receiving such a distinguished person in its annual lecture series. It is hoped that this publication will stir the conscience of many.
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