I would especially like to acknowledge my appreciation to Ilze Petersons and Usha Thakkar for their kindness, feedback, and invaluable suggestions that helped me to research and write this book. Others, who engaged with me in beneficial discussions and provided me with helpful suggestions, and who often provided me with lecture and research opportunities, include, but are not limited to, the following: Bhikhu Parekh, Anthony Parel, Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Fred Dallmayr, Sandhya Mehta, Ramdas Bhatkal, Vasant Pradhan, Rajiv Vora, Niru Vora, Veena Howard, Prafulla Kar, Thomas Pantham, Naresh Kumar Sharma, Nagindas Sanghavi, Sushil Mittal, Joseph Prabhu, Nicholas Gier, Naresh Dadhich, Vinit Haksar, Richard Johnson, Makarand Paranjape, Arun Kumar, Michael Howard, Michael Barnhart, Karsten Struhl, Bal Ram Singh, G. Mishra, Priyankar Upadhhyaya, Hameed Khan, and Usha Gokani.
One of the many benefits of undertaking research on Mahatma Gandhi, as well as engaging in Gandhi-influenced practices, is that it brings you into meaningful relations with kind, ethical persons, who are remarkable for their selfless service in meeting the needs of others. I especially experienced such kindness from the dedicated staff at Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya in Mumbai, where I was based during my 2009–2010 sabbatical doing research for this book.
I appreciate the funding support for researching and writing this book that I received from the following sources: the Council for International Exchange of Scholars and the United States–India Educational Foundation for a Fulbright–Nehru Senior Research Fellowship for 2009–2010; the University of Maine Summer Faculty Research Award for Gandhi research during the summer of 2009.