Mumbai:
In mythology, a reformed Ratnakar became Valmiki and went on to write the Ramayana. Laxman Gole, who had served sentences for assault, attempt to murder and extortion, has now become a preacher of Gandhian values. That's not all; the 31-year-old former convict has been offered an honorary assistant teacher's job by the Karnataka State Law University.
After being introduced to Mahatma Gandhi's writings during his jail term of almost seven years, Gole became an advocate of non-violence and truth. In fact, he has made it his life's mission to transform lives of jail inmates across the country.
Last week, on Human Rights Day, he was invited by the Karnataka State Law University to deliver a lecture at Gulbarga central prison. He spoke to the inmates about Gandhi's autobiography
My Experiments With Truth, which, he says, changed his life.
According to Tulsidas Somaiya, programme co-ordinator of Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal, impressed by Gole's lecture, the university's vice-chancellor JS Patil announced Gole's appointment as an honorary assistant teacher. "His new job will enable him to share his experiences with students and guide them to a better future. Gandhiji's thoughts have changed his life completely," said Somaiya.
Gole, who had studied up to Std VII, said that his life took a new turn after he read Bapu's biography. "When I appeared for the Gandhi Peace exam in Nashik jail, I realised that there was much more to life than power and money. After speaking to inmates about my experience after reading the book, I received letters from them," he said.
Gole was detained under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act and was externed from Mumbai for two years. After his release from Nashik jail in 2008, he spent almost one and a half years at the Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal's Gandhi book shop at Grant Road.
Six months ago, a Pune-based consulting firm offered him a Rs20,000 a month job in the training section of their human resources department. He has been working for the firm since then. The teacher's job will take him to Karnataka occasionally. Gole has plans to marry soon.
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