From Champaran to Holyrood: Dhruva Kumar’s Journey Echoes Gandhi’s Legacy

Sagar Suraj 

MOTIHARI: 
In a story that bridges continents and generations, India-born Scottish politician Prof. Dhruva Kumar is poised to make history in the upcoming Holyrood parliamentary elections.
 Hailing from Chhoudadano village - under East Champaran district in Bihar—the land immortalised by Mahatma Gandhi’s first major satyagraha in India—Kumar’s political rise in Scotland carries deep historical symbolism.

Much like Mahatma Gandhi’s transformative years in South Africa shaped his philosophy of justice and non-violent resistance, Kumar’s journey abroad has forged his political identity. 

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Gandhi’s struggle against racial injustice in South Africa laid the moral foundation for his later leadership of the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917, where he stood with oppressed indigo farmers against colonial exploitation. 

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Today, more than a century later, a son of Champaran is drawing inspiration from that legacy—this time on Scottish soil.

Prof. Kumar, an academic, economist and geopolitical commentator, has been selected as a regional list candidate for Scotland’s Parliament. A strong advocate of Scottish self-determination, he argues that sovereignty is essential to tackling the cost-of-living crisis, housing pressures and energy inequality. He frequently highlights what he calls the “paradox of Scottish energy”—a resource-rich nation where many households still struggle with heating costs.

His politics emphasise public ownership, fair pricing and a just transition for workers—principles that echo Gandhi’s belief in economic justice and dignity for the marginalised. Kumar has also played a leading role in pushing for the first parliamentary motion in Scotland condemning Hinduphobia, strengthening ties with the Indian diaspora.

Advocating closer India–Scotland cooperation in renewable energy, education and trade, he envisions a modern partnership rooted in shared democratic values.

From Gandhi’s fight for rights in South Africa to Champaran’s assertion of dignity, and now to Holyrood’s democratic stage, Dhruva Kumar’s journey reflects how the spirit of justice born in Champaran continues to resonate far beyond India’s borders.