Children need inspiring role models to guide them towards greatness. And who better than Mahatma Gandhi — the Father of the Nation who led India’s freedom struggle against the mighty British Empire with truth and non-violence?

In recent editions of Kidzone, we’ve been featuring excerpts from Growing Up with the Mahatma, authored by Dr Swati Popat Vats, president of the Early Childhood Association of India and the Podar group of preschools.

This beautifully illustrated book introduces young readers to inspiring stories from Gandhiji’s life, with each chapter showcasing one of his many ‘avatars’ — animal activist, fashion stylist, teacher, journalist, fitness expert, social worker, doctor, barrister, even chef! Each story is followed by engaging activities — story-writing prompts, puzzles and quizzes — making learning fun and memorable.

This month, we bring you an excerpt from the chapter “Mahatma inspires you to become a teacher.”