Gandhi and Heroism

There is stratification of heroes. Some belong to the higher class, some belong to the lower class when the stratification is based on class. In India, we have seen caste heroes as well. 

So, while Ambedkar will be a Hero of Dalits and Shivaji will be a Hero of Marathas and so on. There will be heroes of Right Wing and there will be different heroes of left wing. Some heroes will have a regional character and some will have a racial feeling. Some of the Heroes will be distinguished as per their religions. There is a hierarchy of heroes as well so on 2nd October Mahatma Gandhi will be remembered by more people and Lal Bahadur Shashtri by less people despite of both sharing the same birth date.

Due to this stratification, there is a feeling that my heroes are better than yours and how dare you say anything to my Hero. There should be appreciation of people based on their qualities and vice-versa. We need more heroes who cut across all the divisions for a really integrated society and country.

Gandhi was one such Hero who had a mass following across the different stratum of the country except few. The 21st Century asks for more.