I had privilege of meeting and spending significant time with Dr. Ramchandra Pradhan in 2009- the centenary year of Hind Swaraj -while I was serving as the Dean of Studies and Research at the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardh,an institution founded in memory of Jamnalal Bajaj. At that time, following a distinguished teaching career spanning several decades, he had retired as a Reader from the Political Science Department at Ramjas College, Delhi University, and was deeply engaged in research regarding the Indian Socialist Movement.
Dr. Pradhan was already a distinguished figure in Gandhian circles, highly regarded for his scholarly works such as Raj to Swaraj, Reading and Reappraising Gandhi, and Colonialism in India. To commemorate the Hind Swaraj centenary, the Institute organised an international seminar in collaboration with the Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi, and Gandhi International, France. Dr. Pradhan was one of the keynote speakers, marking the beginning of an association that flourished for over a decade.
Recognising his mastery of Gandhian thought, we invited him as a visiting faculty and later as a part time faculty. He eventually committed six months for the Institute for delivering lectures for our Post-Graduate Diploma programme, teaching students from both India and abroad and furthering the vision of the Institute. During this period, the Institute was active in publishing volumes derived from national and international seminars. Dr. Pradhan became an invaluable asset to our editorial process, meticulously reviewing manuscripts and offering insightful suggestions for improvement.
In 2014, he took on the responsibility of translating a collection of articles by our then-Chairman, Justice C.S. Dharmadhikari, which was published as Contemplating Gandhi. That same year, he authored Integrating Body, Mind, and Heart: The Gandhian Way in record time to align with a new paper introduced by Delhi University. I recall designing the cover for that book at his request; he encouraged my inputs, and I wrote a brief note explaining how the visual elements connected to the book’s central theme.
Our collaboration deepened in 2016 and 2017 when he joined us as co-editor for Trusteeship: A Path Less Travelled and Revisiting Development. His scholarly reach was vast; he translated and edited the autobiography of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati for Oxford University Press and translated another of Justice Dharmadhikari’s works, Women Power: A Gandhian Discourse.
Beyond his own projects, he was always gracious enough to review my own articles and books, offering refinements that only a scholar of his calibre could provide. We eventually co-authored some papers on Corporate Social Responsibility and Panchayati Raj and other Gandhian themes. To the students at the Institute, he was more than a teacher; he was a fatherly figure who combined deep scholarship with immense compassion.
His contributions were pivotal in establishing the Institute as a prominent think tank. This dedication was recognised when the Institute was conferred with the National Mahatma Gandhi Award (2017) by the Government of Madhya Pradesh during the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba.
In his final years at the Institute, he was immersed in editing a five-volume series on the life and works of Swami Sahajanand. After I took charge as the Director of the Library and Research Centre at Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, I had the opportunity to visit him in Delhi. Our final meeting took place at Sevagram Ashram when he visited Wardha with P. Sircar. I feel fortunate to have spoken with him shortly before the publication of his final book.
The passing of Pradhan ji in February 2026 is a profound loss. He leaves behind a legacy of inspiration for the innumerable students, colleagues, and friends who were touched by his wisdom and warmth.
Acknowledgement
This brief tribute was prepared for the virtual Vishwaneedam Swadhyaya Sahachakra Professor Ramachandra Pradhan Memorial Symposium on 29 March 2026,
About the Author
Dr. Siby K. Joseph was formerly the Dean of Studies and Research at the Institute of Gandhian Studies. He is currently serving as the Director of the Sri Jamnalal Bajaj Memorial Library and Research Centre for Gandhian Studies, Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, Sevagram, Wardha – 442102, Maharashtra (INDIA). He is also the Director of the International Fellowship Program on Nonviolence and Peace, a global initiative spearheaded by the Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan.
Email: directorjbmlrc@gmail.com
