Mumbai: On the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, dna spoke to a few students in the city to gauge how well versed they are with their history textbooks and the life of the father of the nation.
Out of the 10 students from the secondary section of various schools in the city, that were asked where Mahatma Gandhi was born, only four could answer correctly.
So where was Mahatma Gandhi born? “Porbandar,” prompt came the reply from Kunal Ambardekar, a Class 10 student of Smt.
Sulochanadevi Singhania School, Thane. Gandhi was born in Porbandar, a coastal town on the Kathiawar Peninsula on October 2, 1869.
While a few could reply promptly, a few struggled to recollect what they studied in lower classes. “I knew that he was born in Gujarat but had to just stress my brains to remember the exact location,” said Tina Mehta, a Class 9 student of Old Lourdes English High School, Kalyan, who finally answered correctly.
However, all of them weren’t as lucky and even though they knew the answer, they couldn’t recollect it. “We have studied it in history but can’t remember at the moment,” replied Madhumita Kandalgaonkar, a Class 8 student at King George School, Dadar.
“It is disappointing that they don’t know such a basic fact about Gandhiji,” said Kandalgaonkar’s father.
Some others blamed it on missing the class when they were taught the chapter on Gandhi’s life and promise to remember it once they find out. “We have a chapter on Gandhiji but I did not attend the class that day. Now, that exams are near I will be studying it and will obviously remember it then,” said Sachin Chaurasia, a Class 6 student of Wilson High School, Girgaum.
