• To offer suitable courses in Gandhian Thought;
• To hold lectures, seminars, symposia, workshops and training programmes on Gandhism and its contemporary relevance;
• To sponsor and publish research studies on Gandhism and its contemporary relevance;
• To bring out suitable publications to promote and propagate Gandhian values;
• To celebrate/remember the birth and death anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi in meaningful ways; and
• To network with like-minded organizations in propagating Gandhian values.
  
  

The foundation stone of the Centre for Gandhian Studies of Bangalore University was laid by the President of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on 8th December 1965. The present building was formally dedicated on 2nd October 1969. The 'Gandhi Bhavan' of BU today boasts of Bangalore's biggest 'charaka', in brass, designed by the renowned Tejendra Singh Baooni, which was gifted to the Centre by Dr. D.K. Chowta. Another highlight of the building is an amphitheatre called 'Sabarmathi Open-Air Theatre'. Also located in the premises is the Albert Einstein-Charlie Chaplin Sit-Out and a sculpture of the Mother Goddess. The building has a Meditation Hall which can accommodate about 300 persons. The Centre has a Library with a collection of more than 1500 books.

The 'Calendar Project' of the Centre has been appreciated, both nationally and internationally. Regularly since 2004, calendars containing rare black-and-white photographs of Mahatma Gandhi in very unusual moods, are being published. Important dates in the life of Gandhi and his thought-provoking quotations are highlighted on each page of the calendar. The Gandhi Calendar of the Centre has become a much-sought after collectors' item.

Another flagship of the Centre is the publication of Kannada booklets under the series 'Gandhians in our Midst'. The objective is to highlight the achievements of the silent Gandhians around us, to inspire the student community. More than 40 booklets have been published so far; many more are in the pipeline. 25 of these booklets were combined and released as one publication in 2008, edited by Dr. T. Padma.

The papers and proceedings of two seminars/workshops organized by the Centre, in collaboration with other organizations, have been published:

• 'Uniting in Responsibilities in a Culture of Rights - Locating Possibilities', edited by D. Jeevan Kumar and S. Sudha, (Bangalore: Books for Change, 2010).
• 'Farmers' Rights to Genetic Resources - Stewardship or Ownership?' (Bangalore: Green Foundation and the Centre for Gandhian Studies, Bangalore University, Bangalore, 2009).
  
  

The Centre has launched a Post-Graduate Diploma Course in Gandhian Studies from the academic year 2007-08. The course has an intake of 21 students. It is being offered as an Add-on Course, with three Papers of 100 marks each, and a Dissertation of 50 marks. The dissertation involves field work in a village.

The Centre has also launched a Certificate Course in Gandhian Studies from the academic year 2009-10. This course, too, has an intake of 21 students, and is being offered as an Add-on Course, with two papers of 100 marks each.

• Globalization and Swadeshi - Can They Co-exist
• Uniting in Responsibilities in a Culture of Rights - Locating Possibilities
• Farmers' Right to Genetic Resources
• Contemporary Relevance of Gandhian Values
• Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi
• Gandhian Solutions to Contemporary Problems
  
  

The Centre has fruitful links with the following organizations:

• Gandhi Peace Foundation (Bangalore),
• Gandhi Smarak Nidhi (Bangalore),
• Sarvodaya International Trust and its Karnataka Chapter,
• Institute of Gandhian Studies (Wardha),
• Visthar (Bangalore),
• Fireflies Ashram (Bangalore),
• Navadarshanam Trust (near Anekal),
• Gandhigram Rural University (Dindigul),
• Sarvodaya Mandal (Bombay) and the
• Green Foundation (Bangalore).