Book review: My experiment with Gandhi Marg

Abstract

The book is also available in Hindi also available online. Throughout my life, I have been a proponent of reading inspirational and thought-provoking books to improve both society and myself. Among all the enlightening books I have ever read, I can without a doubt say that “My Experiment with Gandhi Marg” is my favorite and quite possibly the best. I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed. In this book, Dr. Virendra Singh discusses how he has used principles based on Gandhiji's teachings to resolve modern, everyday difficult situations in the workplace. You will find multiple inspirational and illuminating examples from which Dr. Virendra Singh has changed peoples’ life for betterment while he was superintendent of S.M.S. Hospital at Jaipur. There are several real situations described in the book where he uses Gandhi's principals to provide guidance and motivation for many workers. One particularly memorable example is when Dr. Singh must deal with a large number of workers and medical residents threatening to strike. While I do not want to divulge too much detail into how Dr. Singh was able to adeptly avoid the strike, I do want to emphasize that by employing a conscientious mindset, Dr. Singh was able to prevent the disastrous burden that would have been placed on patients as a result of the strike. Not only does he avoid the strike but he also makes the workers realize the consequences of their actions. Rather than punish the workers, Dr. Singh instead motivates them to genuinely atone for their actions. The workers subsequently embark upon a path of self-improvement and also perform acts of kindness for those who are less fortunate. At the end of this incidence, I was touched by how the workers had sincerely dedicated themselves to both self and societal progress. Through this example, Dr. Singh shows how the power of atonement is more effective than direct punishment. The book is filled with numerous examples of using the power of atonement to deal with day-to-day absenteeism, lack of empathy, greed, and anger in hospital workers, residents, and medical students. The power of change, hope, and altruism is embodied within each of these examples. Gandhiji was one of the greatest motivators and philosophers of our time. One of his most lasting principles was that “you must be the change you wish to see in the world.” It is with this mindset that Dr. Singh has incorporated Gandhi's principals into his own day-to-day life and is motivating others to do so as well. If you want to better yourself and improve the world around you, this book can provide you with the framework and context you need to make tremendous changes. Read this book, and you will be the change!