The Shanti Sena or “Peace army” made up of Gandhi‘s followers did not happen just in India. Its non-violent methods have been adopted by others. “Shanti Sena” is a term first coined by Gandhi when he conceptualized a nonviolent volunteer peacekeeping program dedicated to minimizing communal violence within the populace. The words “Shanti” and “Sena” both come from Sanskrit. Shanti means peace and Sena means army, or a drilled band of men. The word “Sena” has been criticized for its connection to militarism, but for Gandhi, it had strong metaphorical and spiritual qualities connected to its use in the Hindu vedas especially concerning Karma or retributive action. The Shanti Sena became institutionalized into Gandhigram Rural University where it was incorporated into its constitution.
