Rajni Bakshi

Rajni Bakshi

former Gandhi Peace Fellow

Rajni Bakshi was the Gandhi Peace Fellow at Gateway House from 2011 till 2017. A Mumbai-based author, she published a Research paper in October 2012 titled Civilizational Gandhi. Rajni has a BA from George Washington University and an MA from the University of Rajasthan. She is the author of Bazaars, Conversations and Freedom: for a market culture beyond greed and fear (Penguin, 2009), which won two Vodafone-Crossword Awards. Her earlier book, Bapu Kuti: Journeys in Rediscovery of Gandhi (Penguin, 1998) inspired the Hindi film Swades starring Shah Rukh Khan. Her other books include: Long Haul: the Bombay Textile Workers Strike 1982-83 (1986), A Warning and an Opportunity: the Dispute over Swami Vivekananda’s Legacy (1994), Lets Make it Happen: a backgrounder on New Economics (2003) and An Economics for Well-Being (2007). Rajni serves on the Boards of Child Rights and You (CRY) and Citizens for Peace. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture and a long term associate of Centre of Education and Documentation (Mumbai & Bangalore). Download high-res bio image
Expertise

Peace, Economic democracy, electoral politics, social protests, climate change and sustainable development

Last modified: December 11, 2017

Recent projects

Darah Shikoh Courtesy: Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
18 February 2015 Gateway House

The legacy of Dara Shikoh

The story of Darah Shikoh, heir-apparent to the Mughal throne in the mid-17th century , enacted by the National Theatre in London, offers insights on how to get beyond the increasingly polarising global discourse on faith, reason and Islam

AAP victory_2 Courtesy: rediff.com
13 February 2015 Gateway House

AAP, Occupy and the Arab Spring

There is an emerging consensus among scholars and political analysts across the world that the 20th century advances in building democratic systems have run their course. It is in this context that AAP’s rapid rise to power might serve as a light-house of global significance—a beacon that guides others seeking to take democracy to a higher level and warns of treacherous rocks

Charlie Hebdo_1 Courtesy: Charlie Hebdo
18 January 2015 Gateway House

An inalienable right to question

2015 has begun on a sombre note as France suffered the worst terror attack in the country's history, and India saw protests by right-wing conservative groups against the screening of the film-PK. Both instances show an increasing intolerance against the questioning of established religions

Philippine peace Courtesy: khabrsoutheastasia
8 January 2015 Gateway House

War and Peace

The Islamic State’s violence dominated 2014’s news headlines, masking important non-violent initiatives around the world. But endeavors for peaceful solutions are thriving, and India, with its legacy of a non-violent freedom struggle, must contribute to this process as a counter-force against the advocates of violence

Lima Climate Summit Courtesy: UN Climate Conference
19 December 2014 Gateway House

Climate Change: glimmers of hope?

With the weaker-than-expected agreement at the recent Climate Change Conference at Lima, there is an urgent need to replicate innovative green endeavours in civil society and business for a sustainable global economy with grassroots empowerment

Obama’s Republic day visit:What to expect
19 December 2014

Obama’s Republic day visit:What to expect

Rajni Bakshi, Gandhi Peace Fellow, Gateway House, sits down with Milan Vaishnav, Associate, South Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss how U.S.-India relations have progressed since PM Modi took office and what to expect during President Obama's visit to India as the chief guest for Republic Day.

Climate-Lima-reuters Courtesy:
17 December 2014 Gateway House

The Lima agreement

The agreement signed at the Climate Change conference at Lima should be a triumph of diplomacy but the reality is quite the opposite. Although the agreement means there is now global unanimity on the need for climate action, the text in the agreement falls short on nearly every indicator

The PSAARC declaration
15 December 2014 Gateway House

The PSAARC declaration

The People's SAARC (PSAARC) declaration,which called for the governments to address a number of issues from food security to climate justice, established the network as advocates for a progressive humanitarian agenda

Bhopal memorial Courtesy: Luca Frediani/Wikimedia Commons
5 December 2014 Gateway House

Bhopal tragedy and the future

A tragic ‘anniversary’ this week drew attention to what it would take to ensure that the current excitement about ‘make in India’ becomes a boon and not a curse

psaarc Courtesy: PSAARC
26 November 2014 Gateway House

PSAARC: humanism over nationalism?

Parallel to the official SAARC meeting was the People's SAARC in Kathmandu. Comprising NGOs, civil society leaders, and activists, the PSAARC is a platform that rejects narrow nationalism and religion in favour of a transcendent South Asian identity