BENGALURU: It's time for five young Indians, winners of a Gandhi fellowship, to pack their bags for a trip to London to take part in the International Conference on Gandhi in the 21st Century next week.Two of the five recipients are from Bengaluru, Kanchan Shankar, 30, an expert in electronics and public administration, and Deepika Somani, 20, a third-year medical student at the Shridevi Institute of Medical Sciences Research Hospital, Tumakuru.The fellowship, offered by University College London of which Gandhi was an alumnus, marks the 70th year of Indian independence and is a celebration of UK-India culture.The winners wrote essays on the current relevance of Gandhi, which were rated by a panel of international experts. They will now showcase their pieces on Gandhi at the conference, view exhibits of frugal innovation, and participate in interactive sessions.Kanchan, who lives in Sarjapura, was inspired by Gandhi, and at 16 and began spending time with child ragpickers, eating with them and listening to their stories. When she was 18, she enrolled in a self-help group to work with tribal groups in Shivanahalli in rural Karnataka . After spending considerable time with young, talented children, she decided to care for underprivileged children."My mother introduced me to the Mahatma through his autobiography when I was 12. It gave me the courage to act in the direction of truth," says Kanchan. She says she is keen to attend the conference to understand the practical applications of Gandhian principles. "Gandhi is alive for every generation as a voice," she said. "A Gandhian is one who lives according to the voice of one's soul no matter the circumstances. Gandhi's life is his message and encourages me to stay steadfast in my beliefs in the face of obstacles," she said.For Deepika, who lives in Kaikondrahalli , a love for history led her to an interest in Gandhi and she was then inspired by his life. "When Gandhi was introduced in my history books, I was fascinated by how one, simple man was able to free India from British rule by truth and non-violence," said Deepika. "The film Gandhi inspired me to apply his principals in day-to-day life. I started reading more biographies and realized how problems in society can be sorted out with Gandhian values." She says she chose to study medicine so that she could follow Gandhi's principles and help the poor.

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