By: Vivek Pinto Published in: *Countercurrents.org* Date: December 20, 2025 Source: https://countercurrents.org/2025/12/gunvantrai-ganpatlal-parikh-a-tribute-to-a-fellow-xavierite-who-was-inspired-to-fly-did-he/
Gunvantrai Ganpatlal Parikh or G.G., as he was endearingly known later, was a student at St. Xavier’s College, then Bombay. Thereafter, he joined G.S. Medical College, Parel, and graduated to be a medical doctor in 1950. The motto of St. Xavier’s college: “*Provocans ad volandum*,” translates to “inspire to fly.” One of the questions this tribute will seek to answer is: How was G.G. inspired to fly while at Xavier’s? What were the intellectual and moral stimuli which he gained within its portals? My focus here is limited to his college years, 1941-45. I provide and examine a few substantiated glimpses from factual sources of what were the influences on G.G. prior to joining the student body, his student and activist experiences as a hostelite, participation in the Quit India Movement (1942) as a Xavierite, and graduation. I did not know G.G.* the man*, but I knew of *his work* and *saw it*. The work and witness is thanks to our mutual friends — B.C. (Balai Chandra) Dutt, an Indian sailor who played a prominent role in the 1946 Royal Indian Naval mutiny, and Ansuya Dutt, a leading lawyer in Bombay. The Dutts were members of the Praja Socialist Party (1952), G.G. was its stalwart. B.C. devotedly spent most week-ends at the Yusuf Meherally Center, Panvel, and I accompanied him a few times. Yusuf Meherally (also spelt as Meher Ali) was the elected Mayor of Bombay (1942-43) and a leading Independence activist and socialist. “Meherally had thrown himself into the freedom struggle, playing an active part in the protests against the all-White Simon Commission in 1928, and being jailed in the Salt Satyagraha two years later,” writes Ramachandra Guha. Yusuf Meherally was also the “President All-India Students Federation, 1941,” while G.G. was “president of the Bombay unit of the Students’ Congress, a rival body to the AISF after the fall out with the Communists who controlled the AISF.”1 It is no exaggeration to say that G.G. equally esteemed Gandhi and Meherally. The latter lay substantial claim to G.G.’s political life and actions, while the former firmly undergirded these acts to *ahimsa * (nonviolence), *satya *(truth)*,* and *anasaktiyoga* (selflessness). In his many interviews to print and visual media, G.G. repeatedly makes two bold and candid references: Meherally and Xavier’s. The college in many ways was home away from home, he deeply loved and admired it. This is the rationale for this tribute. Absent this rationale, the tribute lacks a factual basis and rings hollow.2 G.G. came to Bombay from Kanpur where he finished schooling. In conversations with journalists, G.G. candidly says, “my parents and my entire family were deeply influenced by (Mohandas) Gandhi . . . the names and memories of Bhagat Singh, the revered Indian revolutionary, and Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, leading figure in the Non-Co-operation Movement of the 1920’s, known for his secular politics and deep sympathy for Muslims, were deeply etched in my thought.” His prior socio-political experiences in Kanpur and elsewhere were profoundly formative in this potential, ardent freedom-fighter. So he entered Xavier’s in 1941 heavily imbued with the Gandhian spirit of sacrifice, freedom and nonviolence and possibly prepared to face colonial repression for his beliefs. What happened while at Xavier’s which moved G.G. further down the path of struggle for *swaraj * (freedom)?3 In Europe, World War II (1942-45) was raging. In India, the dreadful Bengal agrarian famine of 1942-44, entirely man-made in Amartya Sen’s path-breaking and honest analysis, took an estimated staggering toll of 3.9 million deaths. On the freedom front, the Cripps Mission (1942) failed to secure India’s co-operation in the war effort as Sir Stafford Cripps, a Labour Party politician and diplomat, failed to guarantee immediate and complete independence after the war. Gandhi famously remarked that the proposals are a “post-dated cheque on a crashing bank.” It was this failure which moved Gandhi to slowly start the “Quit India” campaign of 1942. “The term ‘Quit India’ is itself an American journalist’s invention, suitable for compact headlines; Gandhi’s initial phrase for the movement was ’an orderly British withdrawal,’ though he, too, in time used the journalists’ tag.” This explication is confirmed by Pyarelal, Gandhi’s Secretary, who also affirms and attributes the coinage to “an American correspondent . . . and it ‘caught on.’”4 It is in the context of violent turmoil in the world coupled with the continuing nonviolent struggle for *swaraj* at homethat G.G. spent his entire five student-years at Xavier’s. There were other well-known colleges in the city, such as Wilson, Elphinstone, and Ruia, and yet, G.G. says he opted for Xavier’s because of its “*diversity *(emphasis mine).”5 What precisely was it about diversity that G.G. prized so much? It was the college’s essentially eclectic nature. I, too, noted this aspect from the leaves of college magazines, while searching its e-library. Spelt out it meant: Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, and others were G.G.’s colleagues and perhaps chums. They enriched his intellectual and social pursuits and vice versa. Religion was never a marker in the admission of students at Xavier’s, what mattered was their academic mettle and marks. At the hostel, G.G. must have experienced this diversity more intensely, than in the classroom or the laboratory. Academically, G.G. was admitted to the science stream and stayed at college hostel. The science curriculum in math, chemistry, biology and physics must have thoroughly engaged him not only to work hard and slowly get better grades. “Parikh, Gunvantrai G. (had) a Second Class – Biology, 1942,” states *St. Xavier’s College Magazine *(*SXCM*), 1942. These years were also ones where G.G. was to search and to prepare for a future profession. How could he could serve the nascent nation, in the fierce grip of British repression and domination, and its poor and teeming millions? This must have been a predominant question for the teenage collegian and a challenging one!6 Articles and notes in *SXCM* indicate that *all* students attended condolence meetings for noted public figures and classes were cancelled for the day, other significant lectures were optional. Here are a few relevant snippets: “Public meeting for Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, August 7, 1941, . . . not so much in the nature of a condolence meeting . . . to voice the sentiments of all present regarding the noble character of Dr. Tagore . . . an inspiration, especially the youth of India to emulate this ardent and noble patriot”; “Sarojini Naidu, ‘the Nightingale of India,’ the only woman President of the Indian National Congress delivered (in February 1942) the inaugural address . . . made an eloquent appeal to the students to devote more time to the study of India’s social and economic problems . . . every Indian student-man and woman-could render no better service to their country than by helping in the solution of problems”; “Mr. V. L. Mehta (since considered the father of the Co-operative Movement) in his lecture, later in 1942, referred to the splendid work done by the All-India Spinner’s Association and the All-India Village Industries Association . . . (spoke of) encouragement of cottage industries and provide for increased economic income for farmers”; “Box collections were organized (late 1943 and early 1944), in addition to propaganda by means of leaflets, to move the students to give their utmost to the Bengal Relief Committee . . . following the mass starvation came the new forces of death— Mass Epidemics. . . . Instead of thousands, tens of thousands are dying every week. Village after village, district after district are scourged and decimated when not wiped out”; “Condolence Meeting for Mrs. Kasturba Gandhi (February 22, 1944). On receipt of the sad news the Principal [Fr. Aloysius M. Coyne, S.J.] called upon the staff and students to meet in the College Hall. Before a silent and numerous audience he expressed in a few chosen and sympathetic words the thoughts which in the name of St. Xavier’s had incorporated in a Condolence Resolution to be conveyed to Mr. Gandhi in an appropriate letter. *Miss Malati Shah *(original emphasis), a young woman from the Sr. B.A. class, framed in short heart-felt phrases the emotions pent up in the heart of everybody, but especially of our youth . . . . she had personally known and loved that kindly gentle “*Ba*” . . . the college was closed for the day as a sign of official mourning.” Each of these events surely would have moved and provided youthful G.G. multiple motives, beyond appeals to intellect and morality, to deeply reflect on their meaning in his life and perhaps assist in his formation. The immediate affirmation would be in G.G.’s choice, similar to his fathers’, of a medical career, but that lay in the future.7 College records convey that it wasn’t academics alone that held G.G.’s energies, he was also *an activist.* “Gunvantrai Parikh, (was) a member of the Managing Committee of Hindi Language and Literature Society (1944), notes SX*CM, *whose aim was to promote Hindi language and literature.” This activism was undoubtedly also to print and promote underground circulation of All-India Congress Committee (AICC) pamphlets on “Quit India,” in Hindi for mass distribution, within and outside the college, calling all citizens and specifically students to adhere to “a mass movement of a strictly nonviolent character.”8 The struggle for *swaraj through ahmisa *(freedom through nonviolence) was entering its dreaded final years, blood literally flowed in the streets of major cities and towns, and jails throughout the country filled to the brim with valiant and disciplined patriots (women and men) ready and willing to pay the price. In short, the resolute and frightening slogan, “*karenge ya marenge* (Do or Die)” was slowly and solidly being forged on the anvil of independent India. Students were called by the Congress (Gandhi) and Socialists (Jai Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Yusuf Meherally, Acharya Narendra Deva and others) to join the Quit India Movement in large numbers and give effect to the AICC Resolution taken on August 7-8, 1942 in Bombay.9 Students had a specific role in first stage of the “AICC 12-point program” to “withdraw from school and colleges” thus affecting their closure; “holding up of railways”; and so on.10 G.G. adhering to party discipline and as a true *swarajist *(freedom fighter) says,“from August 10-12 he together with some hostel students daily picketed outside the college and asked entrants not to do so. . . . some did not enter and turned away. . . classes were held. . . . . then on 12th he with others (Xavierites) went to Churchgate station to halt local trains. . . . they were not successful and were caught . . . he was mistakenly thought to be leading the group and was sent to Worli Temporary Prison for 10 months.”11 What must have pleasantly astounded G.G was that Fr. Coyne, an Irishman, did *not *dismiss him or any others neither from the college nor from the hostel. Imagine were it otherwise! After his imprisonment, he returned to resume his academic career. The college was admittedly neutral during the freedom struggle, but implicitly encouraged its students by holding academic events and condolence meetings for prominent Indians, who stood up to the *raj *(British rule), to participate in *swaraj*. A new dawn was awaiting in August 1947 with all its promise! Finally, the crowning moment came in 1945 – “B.Sc. Examination 1945- First Class, Parikh, Gunvantrai. G,”boldly exclaimed in *SXCM*, 1945.12 G.G. inspired perhaps sufficiently and true to St. Xavier’s motto was prepared to soar high and strong! *Vivek Pinto* Former Fellow, Sophia University, Tokyo ———————————————— Notes 1. Ramachandra Guha, “Fire and Honey,” *The Telegraph Online*, July 12, 2025, https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/fire-and-honey-in-praise-of-yusuf-meherally-prnt/cid/2112711; P.N. Chopra, ed.. “*Quit India Movement British Secret Report [Wickenden Report, 1943]*, New Delhi: Thomson Press (India) 1979, fn. 24, p. 26; Shashank Nair, “India At 76: GG Parikh: Freedom Fighter Who Fought British and Even Indira Gandhi, 2022, *HW News English*, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6GKoby9R18v. Also see, Tom Wilkinson, “Student Politics in British India and Beyond: The Rise and Fragmentation of the All India Student Federation (AISF), 1936-1950,” *Samaj* 22. 2019, http:/journals.openedition.org/samaj/6541. 2. For an example of a print interview, see Jyoti Punwani, “At 100, He Remembers How He Fought for Freedom: Interview with G.G. Parekh,” *Janata Weekly,* October 5, 2025. For video, see Shashank Nair, “India At76: GG Parikh: Freedom Fighter Who Fought British and Even Indira Gandhi,” 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6GKoby9R18 3. Nair, op. cit. 4. Paul R. Greenough, “Political Mobilization and the Underground Literature of the Quit India Movement, 1942-44,” *Modern Asian Studies*, 17, 3 (1983), p. 354, fn. 4; Greenough in turn quotes P.N. Chopra, op. cit., p. 10. 5. Nair, op. cit. 6. *St. Xavier’s College Magazine*, 35 , September 1942, 1, p.25. 7. *SXCM*, 34, September 1941, 1, p.46; *SCXM,* 34 (?), February 1942, 2, p.157; ibid., p. 158; *SXCM,* 36, April 1944, 2, pp.90-91; ibid., p. 96. 8. *SXCM *37, October – November 1944, 1, p. 38. 9. Chopra, op. cit., 29. 10. Ibid., p. 191, 83, 101. 11. Nair, op. cit. 12. *SXCM*, 39 (November 1945), 1, p.13. It should be noted that this writer pleaded with the management of St. Xavier’s College after hearing of G.G.’s passing on to have a formal obituary on the college website for posterity. Surely, the college could easily reconfirm from SXCM’s and other records, unavailable to the writer, that G.G. was indeed a student of the college. G.G.’s was no fictitious claim. But alas! So much for love of one’s alma mater.
