Publication

In an uncharacteristically strong-worded speech delivered at Chatham House, London in 1931, Gandhiji charged the colonial masters with making India more illiterate by neglecting its indigenous education system, the “beautiful tree” as he termed it, to perish. A lively debate followed thereafter for about eight years, but finally remained inconclusive. Despite its interest, this debate cannot be fully captured here. However, the nature of the indigenous education system that came out clearly in the process needs to be highlighted for its important bearing upon the discussion in this paper.