Arun Manilal Gandhi (1934–2023) was an Indian-American social activist, author and lecturer best known as a grandson of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Through his writing and public speaking, he sought to popularise the principles of nonviolence (ahimsa) associated with his grandfather, working primarily in the United States and India in the latter half of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first.
| Full name | Arun Manilal Gandhi |
|---|---|
| Born | 1934 |
| Died | 2023 |
| Nationality | Indian-American |
| Known for | Social activism; advocacy of nonviolence |
| Family | Grandson of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi; son of Manilal Gandhi |
Arun Gandhi was born in 1934 into the family of Manilal Gandhi, the second son of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. His early life was shaped by the experience of being raised in the Gandhian tradition, with its emphasis on simple living, community service and nonviolent resistance. He later settled for a long period in the United States, from where he conducted much of his lecturing and writing work.
Arun Gandhi devoted much of his adult life to communicating the philosophy of nonviolence to international audiences, particularly students and civil society groups. His activities included:
As a direct descendant of Mahatma Gandhi who actively engaged in public life, Arun Gandhi served as a familiar interpreter of Gandhian thought for later generations, especially in the West. His role was less that of a political figure and more that of an educator and commentator, helping to keep discussion of nonviolence visible in contemporary debates on social and global issues.