This Ahimsa Internship Camp guides youth through the philosophy
of Ahimsa,
exploring how Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther
King Jr. embraced Ahimsa activism to drive profound societal change. The program also delves into
the
history and
evolution of gun violence in America, examining how the principles of Ahimsa can be applied to
reduce
gun violence and
ultimately save lives. Click to learn more
Ahimsa Movement TO END GUN VIOLENCE
Mission:
Our organization is dedicated to ending the epidemic of gun violence in America through
nonviolence, advocacy, education, and policy reforms.
Vision:
Misinterpretations of the Second Amendment have led to the widespread ownership of assault
weapons—firearms designed solely for the battlefield. This unchecked proliferation, along with
widespread gun ownership, poses a serious threat to public safety.
By educating youth nationwide, we are committed to curbing gun violence through Ahimsa
Activism, ensuring that people can move freely and live without fear.
We envision an America:
- Where every child can attend school without fear.
- Where people of all faiths can worship in peace.
- Where families can gather in public spaces without the shadow of gun violence.
- Where people in vulnerable situations are protected, not endangered, by firearms.
- Where young lives are not tragically cut short by access to assault weapons.
- Where differences of opinion never escalate into bloodshed.
Guided by the principle of nonviolence—Ahimsa Paramo Dharma—we uphold that nonviolence is
the highest duty. It is our moral responsibility to protect life and ensure that no one is
harmed, injured, or lost to gun violence.
Our Niche:
To advance our mission and vision, our organization -- Ahimsa End Gun Violence
-- has launched the Ahimsa Internship Program that has been providing young
leaders with the knowledge, skills, and platform to drive meaningful change. Through awareness,
dialogue, interactions with politicians, and community-driven initiatives, the Ahimsa
Movement stands as a beacon of hope in the fight against gun-related tragedies –
homicides as well as suicides.
Ahimsa Internship Program: Empowering Youth for a Safer
Future
Effective April, 2025, our Ahimsa Internship Program is going
NATIONAL! This exciting initiative offers a blend of online and
in-person learning experiences designed to equip interns with the knowledge and
skill to promote Ahimsa (non-violence) and peace in their schools, colleges,
work places, and communities.
Ahimsa Internship Program Structure:
- Four to Five Online Classes: Delivered virtually, these sessions cover key
concepts of peaceful movements throughout history.
- In-Person Sessions: The program begins with a one-hour in-person
introduction class and concludes with a two-hour in-person
meeting, where participants will take the final exam and
celebrate at a graduation ceremony joined by their family members and
friends.
We require a minimum of 6 registrants in each region of the
country for the internship program to take off.
Accomplishments:
Over the past six Ahimsa Internship Camps, we’ve held in-person sessions in
Georgia and Virginia, with 46 interns graduating as
Ahimsa Ambassadors. The graduation ceremonies for these internships were graced
by public policy makers and included participation by 92 parents, family members and friends.
The certificates (sample below) at the graduation ceremonies highlight 40-hour internship that
will immensely benefit the Ahimsa Ambassadors in their subsequent internship, college, and job
applications.
These graduates are making a significant impact by:
- Delivering inspiring presentations to spread awareness.
- Founding Ahimsa Clubs to continue the movement.
- Publishing Ahimsa-themed poems that promote peace and non-violence.
- Engaging with legislators and political candidates to advocate for positive
change.
What We Teach:
In our internship classes, besides articulating the virtues of embracing Ahimsa in our life
styles, we explore pivotal peaceful movements and strategies that have shaped
history. Some of the key topics include:
- ☮ Ahimsa philosophy in diverse religions
- ☮ Ahimsa and Food Choices
- ☮ Ahimsa to facilitate ecological balance and avoid global warming
- 🕊 The Salt March by Mahatma Gandhi
- ✊ The Civil Rights Movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- 🏴 Boston Tea Party as a precursor to the American
freedom struggle
- 🗳 Voting Rights for Women and African Americans
- ☮
History and Evolution of Gun Violence in America
- ☮ Role of Second Amendment and NRA in sustaining gun violence
- ☮ Ahimsa activism to curb gun violence
Above are just a few highlights of the material we cover. Our program dives deep
into historical and modern movements, equipping interns with the knowledge and
skills to promote ahimsa and peace in today’s world. Our interns have done
superb job of writing essays on selected themes and then making professional presentations in
front of huge audience at the graduation ceremony.
Join Us!
Become part of a growing community of Youth Ahimsa Ambassadors and saviors of human
lives. Learn, grow, and contribute to a world that embraces peace,
kindness, and Ahimsa.
Please email 👇 for more information:
The co-founder of a group training students to be gun safety “ambassadors” said during a Dec. 31
graduation ceremony that gun violence prevention should be about compassion rather than
politics.
Shailendra Palvia, co-founder of AHIMSA-End Gun Violence, told the eight local high school
students who graduated that religious group leaders are often reluctant to discuss the issue
because they believe it’s too politically charged.
The graduation also featured remarks by then-state Sen. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Brambleton. He was
sworn in as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia’s 10th Congressional
District on Jan. 3. While saying many Republicans are reluctant to pass gun safety laws,
Subramanyam said there is some bipartisan support for reform.
He noted he got a bill passed last spring in the General Assembly for a five-day “cooling off”
period between when people buy guns and when they’re allowed to take possession of them. The
bill, which was designed to prevent gun suicides and domestic violence-related gun homicides,
was vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin.
Subramanyam said he respects the right of people to own guns for hunting or self-defense, but
said there needs to be stricter gun laws to keep people safe.
“This is an emotional issue, but one we have to address,” he said. “Whether it’s in schools or
public places, we have to feel safe in our community. We have to make sure we are doing the
commonsense, evidence-based things that you all have looked into and talked about to resolve
this. But we’re not going to do it if it’s just one political party doing it on its own.”
Gun violence in America: Thoughts, prayers, flowers, and candles are futile without
action
All Ahimsa Internships were conducted by Professor Shailendra Palvia and enriched by
three guest speakers: Vaisheshi Jalajam, Swati Narayan, and Shveta Jain. Swati has been
a crusader for curbing gun violence for over two decades and was an invited participant
at the Gun Sense University Conference on June 12, 2024, in Washington, DC, which was
addressed by President Biden.
The Ahimsa Interns’ graduation ceremonies were attended by local politicians such as Michelle
Au, Ashwin Ramaswamy, and Michelle King, who support sensible legislation to curb gun violence.
Ahimsa has partnered with the Smart Program of Everytown for Gun Safety. Ahimsa graduate
Saankhya Jalajam has published a book of poems on the theme of Ahimsa to end gun violence.
Our organization is futuristic by having one important niche of educating the youth. We
want to inculcate the philosophy of Ahimsa and its power to curb the gun violence among our
youth.
In the long run the goal is to inoculate the youth against gun violence. Towards this end, we
inaugurated the very first NOVEL Ahimsa Internship on June 11, 2023 taught by Professor
Dr. Shailendra Palvia.
Nine students in the age-group 15 to 20 joined this Internship Program. The syllabus for this
Internship is rigorous with assigned five textbooks, one term paper, two short write-ups,
and one field trip which occurred on Friday, July 14 when all of us including interns interacted
with GA House Representative Dr. Michelle Au.
There will be a final examination on August 6 followed by distribution of Certificates of
Internship Completion.
