Jan 25, 2015

Gandhi & The English Professor

An amusing anecdote about Gandhi as a law student in England. . .whether or not it is true, it is amusing nonetheless.

When Gandhi was studying law at the University College of London, an English professor, whose last name was Peters, for whatever reason disliked the Indian intensely and always displayed animosity and prejudice towards him. Also, because Gandhi never lowered his head when addressing him as the professor expected, there were many arguments and confrontations between them.

One day, Mr. Peters was having lunch at the University dining hall when Gandhi came along with his tray and sat next to the professor. The professor said, "Mr. Gandhi, you do understand that a pig and a bird do not sit together to eat." Gandhi looked at him as a parent would a rude child and calmly replied, "Do not worry professor. I'll fly away," and he went and sat at another table [implying that the professor was a pig].

Mr. Peters, reddened with rage, decided to take revenge. On the next oral test, the professor posed what he thought were very difficult questions, but Gandhi responded brilliantly to all of the queries. The frustrated Mr. Peters then asked him the following question. "Mr. Gandhi, if you were walking down the street and found a package, and within was a bag of wisdom and another bag was a lot of money, which one would you take?"

Without hesitating, Gandhi responded,"The one with the money, of course."

Mr. Peters smirked and smiling with condescension said, "I, in your place, would have taken the wisdom, don't you think?"

Gandhi shrugged indifferently and responded, "Each one takes what he doesn't have." [implying that the professor had no wisdom].

By this time, Mr. Peters was fit to be tied. So great was his anger that on Gandhi's next paper, he wrote the word "idiot" and handed it to Gandhi. Gandhi took his paper and upon seeing what the professor wrote on his paper, he sat down at his desk trying very hard to remain calm.

A few minutes later, Gandhi got up, went to the professor and said to him in a dignified and polite tone but with unmistakable sarcasm, "Mr. Peters, you signed my paper, but you did not give me the grade." [implying that “idiot” was the professor's signature]. –Author Unknown/Contributed by Ralph

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