Gandhi's autobiography is among top sellers

At a time when the country is ridden with violence, corruption and deceit, it would surprise many to know that Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography, which gives the message of truth, non-violence and peace, is one of the top-selling books, says a Gandhian.

"This is true since 257,000 copies were sold last year," says TRK Somaiya, programme co-ordinator, Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal, an organisation that promotes Gandhian principles.

"And to spread the message of peace of the Mahatma today, when his 141st birth anniversary will be celebrated across the country, more than 15,000 copies of Gandhi's My Experiments with Truth, an autobiography, will be sold by management students of the National Institute of Industrial Engineering at Mumbai's shopping malls, offices, schools and colleges," he said.

The demand for the book went up in 1984 after the release of Richard Attenborough's film Gandhi, at around the same time the Gandhi Book Centre started. Today, the Centre has 250 titles on Gandhi, in different languages. Though sales of these books went down for a while, Somaiya says they have recently increased. "It went up after the release of Bollywood film Lage Raho Munnabhai which dwelt with Gandhian ideals," he said.

Full report here Gulfnews