In Delhi on the evening of 30 January 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated – shot three times at point blank range. India’s founding father had been ripped from its heart in the most cruel and shocking way.
When I think about Mahatma Gandhi, I think of all the things he stood for – non-violence, peaceful protest, civil rights, self-reliance. And I think about the man that he was – humble, compassionate, respectful, tolerant. Quite simply, Gandhi was a remarkable human being.
Six years after his death, the anniversary of Gandhi’s assassination was chosen to also mark World Leprosy Day. Ever since, India always marks World Leprosy Day on 30 January, while other parts of the world mark it on the last Sunday of January.
And here we are now, at the end of January 2025, ready to mark World Leprosy Day again, and ready to remember the astonishing life of Mahatma Gandhi.
Both of them are intrinsically entwined, for Gandhi had a deep understanding and affinity with leprosy, and showed great compassion and care for people affected by leprosy. He was an example to all of us who have followed since.
Gandhi dreamed of a leprosy-free India saying that:
Eliminating leprosy is the only work I have not been able to complete in my lifetime.
And yet here we are still today; still trying to achieve his dream.
Because leprosy still exists. Every year around 200,000 cases are diagnosed worldwide, and many, many more remain undiagnosed, hidden in society. Around the world, 3-5 million people live with the lifelong impact of leprosy. India has by far the highest number of people affected by leprosy of any country in the world.
This year for World Leprosy Day, we stand as one for people affected by leprosy – and we do so in the spirit of care and compassion that Mahatma Gandhi showed in his own life and actions.
Because if we do not stand together, how can Gandhi’s dream ever be achieved?
Because if we stand as one, we can keep breaking down the stigma and discrimination against people affected by leprosy.
Because arguably leprosy is more prejudiced against than any other disease in human history.
From young mothers in India who have been cast out of their homes by their husbands, to children in Bangladesh who are denied an education, to media figures everywhere who propagate the same old tired and outdated myths and negative stereotypes about leprosy.
We stand as one in solidarity with people affected by leprosy. We do what we can to shine a light on leprosy to help people understand more, to break down prejudice, to improve access to care.
For this World Leprosy Day, Lepra is shining a light on grassroots community groups throughout India and Bangladesh, who are helping to detect cases and breaking down societal prejudice against leprosy. Because as Gandhi said:
Why should there be a stigma about leprosy more than any other disease?
Find out more about leprosy and standing as one for World Leprosy Day in this video.
