A distinguished writer-journalist of several high caliber books on India, Hinduism and global politics in the context of Hindus, Mr Francois Gautier is arguably one of the most widely downloaded and circulated columnist in the world. Considered, a 'French-Firangi with an Indian soul', Francois has consistently been the most sought-after contributor in the Indian and international media, including Radio and Television for three decades. Disciple of Sri Aurobindo and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Mr Gautier has made Auroville, India as his home with wife Namrita, for more than 35 yrs. Mr. Francois Gautier is a trustee-founder of "FACT-India" which convene exhibitions and commissions films documenting Human Rights abuses in South Asia, which include an exhibition on plight of Kashmiri Pundits and persecution of minorities in Bangladesh.

He spoke to Lokvani about his work in India. To learn more about his work visit  http://www.fact-india.com/

Why did you choose to move to India ?

I came to India by accident, if you wish. My best friend’s father was the last French Governor of Pondichery and he told me there was a caravan of cars driving from Paris to Auroville-Pondichery. As I had had a strict upper class Christian education, I thought I needed to see the world - and driving to Pondichery seemed a good way to start. But when I reached Delhi I understood India was my home and I stayed.

What would you consider the greatest change brought in you by the masters Shri Aurobindo and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar?

Sri Aurobindo is my Supreme Master, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is my living guru becasue he does the work that I feel is most important for Mother India and of which Sri Aurobindo was a pioneer

Why is terrorism in India a topic that is ignored by the West?

West is good-willing but extremely ignorant about India. We need to educate westerners about India. There are a few hurdles, chief amongst them Western Indologists who have made it a tradition to belittle India and its traditions and always harp and amplify its negative sides, such as castes, sati, child marriage, poverty, etc

Why do you think Western Media ignores the human rights abuses against Hindus inflicted by terrorists?

Well, the West  is facing the same terrorists threats as India, but as long as it is not hit too hard by them, it pretends they do not exist. How long with this blindness last??? 

Can Kashmiri Pandits ever hope for a return to their homeland and
for the world to understand the atrocities committed against them?

There has to be a strong Hindu nationalistic government in place for that. It will not happen for quite some time

What motivated you to create a "Museum of True India History"?

We see more and more today that Indian History has to be rewritten according to the latest linguistic and archaeological discoveries, if Indian children are to understand who they are and where they come from. We know now that not only the history of India’s beginnings were written by European colonizers, with an intention to downsize, downgrade and postdate Indian civilization, but that unfortunately, generation after generation of Marxist Indian historians, for their own selfish purposes, endorsed and perpetuated these wrong theories, such as the Aryan invasion, which divided India like nothing else, pitting South against North, Aryan against Dravidian, Untouchables against Brahmins.

Not only that, but British and Marxist historians, eager to give prominence to the Congress, which was in the first place a British institution, robbed of their true places in history giants, such as Sri Aurobindo, who, apart from being the avatar of the ‘supramental’ age, was the early prophet of Indian independence, when all Congress wanted was a few crumbs from the British. As a result, very few Indian children know about Sri Aurobindo today. Thus we need to have a physical place where true Indian history will be shown

What is life like for a "firangi" In India?

It’s good. I am a lucky guy. Hindus and Indians accept easily different people in their midst

Any special message for our readers?

How much of yourself do you give to your American identity – and how much space do you preserve for your Indian-ness ? These are the questions that Indian expatriates should ask themselves today. For we see many of the children of Indians who settled in the US twenty or thirty years ago, merge themselves totally in the American way of life, speak with an American accent, eat Mac Donald, think American… and in the process forget all about their wonderful Indian culture… Hindus need to be united in the US, as they are fragmented in a thousands of groups that often fight with each other. The time of Hindu power has come

Thank you so much

Thank you

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