Comments on: Gandhiji The Commodity http://www.the-nri.com/index.php/2009/11/gandhi-and-the-mont-blanc-pen/ news views and comment for the Indian community abroad. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:32:45 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Barnaby Haszard Morris http://www.the-nri.com/index.php/2009/11/gandhi-and-the-mont-blanc-pen/comment-page-1/#comment-1293 Barnaby Haszard Morris Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:42:41 +0000 http://www.the-nri.com/?p=480#comment-1293 Hey crius, thanks for stopping by. I don't know how much of your comment applies to me or the opinion I expressed, but I agree completely that it was all about money at bottom... and if you're suggesting that the hype surrounding this pen was way out of proportion, I'm totally with you there too. Had he been alive, I think Gandhi would've given it perhaps a single passing remark given the billions of vastly more important things to consider in the world today. Hey crius, thanks for stopping by. I don’t know how much of your comment applies to me or the opinion I expressed, but I agree completely that it was all about money at bottom… and if you’re suggesting that the hype surrounding this pen was way out of proportion, I’m totally with you there too. Had he been alive, I think Gandhi would’ve given it perhaps a single passing remark given the billions of vastly more important things to consider in the world today.

]]> By: crius http://www.the-nri.com/index.php/2009/11/gandhi-and-the-mont-blanc-pen/comment-page-1/#comment-1262 crius Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:00:29 +0000 http://www.the-nri.com/?p=480#comment-1262 wow!!!gimme some break.... is such a hype required for this??? where were the so called true INDIANs when so many movies were made on gandhi??? whatever it was in the end it was all about making money!!!! had it been an INDIAN company would the people respond to it in the same way??? when Gandhi's possessions are being sold at a fortune where were the deep rooted affinity towards the poor statement??? how many companies INDIA have done such an act of honouring??? everbody just wants to drag the other down... wow!!!gimme some break…. is such a hype required for this??? where were the so called true INDIANs when so many movies were made on gandhi??? whatever it was in the end it was all about making money!!!! had it been an INDIAN company would the people respond to it in the same way??? when Gandhi’s possessions are being sold at a fortune where were the deep rooted affinity towards the poor statement??? how many companies INDIA have done such an act of honouring??? everbody just wants to drag the other down…

]]> By: Suchit Punnose http://www.the-nri.com/index.php/2009/11/gandhi-and-the-mont-blanc-pen/comment-page-1/#comment-691 Suchit Punnose Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:46:17 +0000 http://www.the-nri.com/?p=480#comment-691 Hi Barnaby, Hope Varkala is treating you well after your article! Knowing the tendency of well wishers of various causes in Kerala to be up in arms over trivia, I hope they have let you live in peace! I couldn't agree more with you. Best, Suchit Hi Barnaby,

Hope Varkala is treating you well after your article! Knowing the tendency of well wishers of various causes in Kerala to be up in arms over trivia, I hope they have let you live in peace!

I couldn’t agree more with you.

Best,

Suchit

]]> By: Barnaby Haszard Morris http://www.the-nri.com/index.php/2009/11/gandhi-and-the-mont-blanc-pen/comment-page-1/#comment-88 Barnaby Haszard Morris Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:16:09 +0000 http://www.the-nri.com/?p=480#comment-88 Hi James - seems I forgot to actually mention the agreement Mont Blanc have with Gandhi's foundation. From USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2009-10-02-mont-blanc-india_N.htm): "On Tuesday, Montblanc chief executive Lutz Bethge handed over a check for $145,666 to Gandhi's great grandson, Tushar Gandhi, for his foundation. The foundation will get an additional 10,000 to 50,000 rupees ($210 to $1,050) for each pen sold, Goessler said." So that's the money I referred to, and I too was surprised to hear about it - still, I feel they're covering their bases more than anything. On your other point, I agree it's a little distasteful but as you say they're not really doing anything wrong. If anything, I would suggest that the controversy surrounding the pen is something they would welcome, as it generates a lot of interest. Those 241 pens must all be long sold. Hi James – seems I forgot to actually mention the agreement Mont Blanc have with Gandhi’s foundation. From USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2009-10-02-mont-blanc-india_N.htm):

“On Tuesday, Montblanc chief executive Lutz Bethge handed over a check for $145,666 to Gandhi’s great grandson, Tushar Gandhi, for his foundation.

The foundation will get an additional 10,000 to 50,000 rupees ($210 to $1,050) for each pen sold, Goessler said.”

So that’s the money I referred to, and I too was surprised to hear about it – still, I feel they’re covering their bases more than anything. On your other point, I agree it’s a little distasteful but as you say they’re not really doing anything wrong. If anything, I would suggest that the controversy surrounding the pen is something they would welcome, as it generates a lot of interest. Those 241 pens must all be long sold.

]]> By: James http://www.the-nri.com/index.php/2009/11/gandhi-and-the-mont-blanc-pen/comment-page-1/#comment-33 James Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:29:07 +0000 http://www.the-nri.com/?p=480#comment-33 Hi Barnaby; I'm enjoying your posts. I visited Varkala myself; fantastic place. A small point I'd like to raise about this entry: You state that Mont Blanc are "raising money for Gandhi's legacy". How so? Surely, sales revenue goes directly into their own pockets, unless they have pledged a percentage to a charity of some description in his name - that would be raising money for his legacy. Call me a pessimist but I seriously doubt that's the case! I think it's a tacky bit of profiteering, but legal proceedings? Surely nobody owns Gandhi's image rights and so Mont Blanc aren't doing anything illegal, or immoral - even if it is a little distasteful. Anyway; as I said, I'm enjoying reading your posts...Keep well in Kerala! Hi Barnaby;
I’m enjoying your posts. I visited Varkala myself; fantastic place.
A small point I’d like to raise about this entry: You state that Mont Blanc are “raising money for Gandhi’s legacy”. How so? Surely, sales revenue goes directly into their own pockets, unless they have pledged a percentage to a charity of some description in his name – that would be raising money for his legacy. Call me a pessimist but I seriously doubt that’s the case! I think it’s a tacky bit of profiteering, but legal proceedings? Surely nobody owns Gandhi’s image rights and so Mont Blanc aren’t doing anything illegal, or immoral – even if it is a little distasteful.
Anyway; as I said, I’m enjoying reading your posts…Keep well in Kerala!

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