Dr Henry Grady
former US Ambassador to India
World better because he lived The world is a better world for his having lived, but the greatness of this extraordinary man will not die with him. The spirit of Mahatma Gandhi will live and grow and his influence will increase with the years. A great human spirit lives on though his body has returned to dust.
Like any great man, he does not belong to India alone. He belongs to all of us everywhere and the one consolation we can take from this tragedy is that his influence and the force of his spiritual personality will be greater now than they were when he lived.
All differences between men and nations can be reconciled. If the spirit is there, the way can always be found. As our own great martyr to world peace, Franklin Roosevelt, said on one occasion, ‘It is the spirit, Sir, that matters’. It is the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, his ideals and dedication to peace everywhere-a peace based on the love of man for man-that matters.