I am a great admirer of Maulana Wahiduddin (born 1925). Although he had Muslim religious education, he was always secular and preached brotherhood between all communities. He is truly a great man. I have met him on a few occasions.

In 1992, when the atmosphere was highly charged throughout India due to the Babri Mosque incident, he felt the necessity to convince people of the need to restore peace and amity between the two communities, so that the country might once again tread the path of peace.

To fulfil this end, he went on a 15-day Shanti Yatra (peace march) through Maharashtra along with Acharya Muni Sushil Kumar and Swami Chidanand, addressing large groups of people at 35 different places from Mumbai to Nagpur. This Shanti Yatra contributed greatly to the return of peace in the country. It is because of his advocacy of peace on the subcontinent and throughout the world and the espousal of the cause of communal harmony that he is respected by all communities and in every circle of society.

Invited to meetings by all religious groups and communities within India and abroad, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is, in effect, India’s ambassador of communal amity, spreading the universal message of peace, love and harmony. Directly addressing individuals, he has been re-engineering minds in order to develop positive citizens of the world —who can live together peacefully—so that the culture of peace and brotherhood may be spread at a universal level. Over decades, he has prepared a team of individuals—the Ambassadors of Peace.

Markandey Katju