A giant pair of wooden clogs, resembling Gandhi’s patent shoes, will be kept next to the library at JNU on January 30. A showcase of video clippings of Gandhi’s speeches as well as his assassination by Nathuram Godse in 1948 will be followed by students, volunteers and chief guest, actor Nandita Das, being invited to step into Gandhi’s ‘shoes’ to talk about ways in which his philosophy can be adopted to contemporary issues.

“It’s often difficult for people to speak up in an individual capacity. Stepping into Gandhi’s shoes is not easy but it does make one feel more empowered. That’s why we thought of making these giant clogs,” Shailendra Uniyal, founder, In Gandhi’s Shoes, said.

The wooden clogs will then be taken to other places across the Capital, and then to other cities to help people collate their thoughts on non-violent solutions to problems. “Gandhi’s teachings have become more relevant to our way of life now than ever before, simply because of the intolerant times we live in. So we decided to look to him when we thought of this campaign,” Uniyal said.

Publicis India has been roped in to design the communication programme for the initiative. “We intend to have a travelling exhibition of stories of members of the public who seek non-violence as a means to solve their problem, or those who have creative ideas for resolution of discord. It’s more like a mass awareness movement that we are seeking to create,” Emmanuel Upputuru, national creative director at Publicis, said.

Gandhi posters and memorabilia are being concentrated upon. There are even plans to write to the President about putting Gandhi’s quotes on postage stamps in circulation.