Take the other equally attractive title that Mahatma gave Tagore, ‘Gurudev’. More than being the first Asian Nobel Laureate, more than leading a new education movement, more than being an artist, poet, or philosopher, here was a man who spoke of a higher unity that he wanted for the world which he prayed should not be ‘broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls’. Can such a sage be called anything else but ‘guru dev’ or ‘divine mentor’?

Gandhiji had a special gift of giving titles. He called C.F. Andrews, a British missionary who came to teach at St Stephen’s and who was supportive of the freedom movement, ‘Deenbandhu’ or ‘friend of the poor’. Gandhiji also gave the title ‘Deshbandhu’ or ‘friend of the nation’ to C.R. Das who in spite of being one of the foremost members of the bar in India gave up his practice to participate in the freedom struggle. And of course it was Gandhi who gave Vallabhbhai Patel the title of ‘Sardar’ or ‘chief’ in recognition of his efforts in organising the farmers of Bardoli to refuse to pay the increase in the tax on land that the government had unjustly imposed. Patel, following the principles of satyagraha, led a campaign that went on for many months and that finally resulted in a climbdown by the colonial regime. The Sardar was to play a Sardar’s role in the crucial months following Partition and in the building of the institutions of modern India.

There are other titles that were given and that also speak of the love people had for these leaders. While ‘Pandit’ or scholar was a title given to many leaders such as M.M. Malaviya and G.B. Pant, it was on that gentle colossus, Jawaharlal Nehru, that it seemed the most apt. Whereas the modernising Fabian socialist and lonely statesman, dressed in his starched sherwani with a fresh rose in his lapel, is to Indian officialdom Pandit Nehru, to schoolchildren he is simply ‘Chacha’ Nehru. To millions, Dr Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar, the relentless campaigner for justice who is the recipient of unbounded devotion, always carries two titles: ‘Dr’ to mark his scholarship achieved against tremendous odds, and ‘Babasaheb’ to refer to the special relationship with a ‘father’ or ‘baba’. Babasaheb stands for a society based on human dignity and that is why his statues have a sacred presence in many towns of India. And then again we must not forget ‘Badshah’ Khan who earned the title ‘Badshah’ or ‘Chief of Chiefs’ in honour of his tireless attempts to mobilise the Pashtuns. A frontier Gandhi in the land of the Pashtuns!

... contd.