Bridge Builder: Connecting East and West in a Gandhian Way

Jitendranath (J. N.) Mohanty gained prestige for his unique ability to navigate both Eastern and Western philosophical traditions. He pursued the academic study of philosophy, but his outlook toward life remained grounded in a real concern for investigating truth. Although Mohanty was influenced by many thinkers, this article suggests that Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave, two prominent figures of the twentieth century, guided his personal and academic outlook in subtle ways. Mohanty's autobiographical reflections and his acumen in philosophy from both sides of the globe reveal his commitment to analyzing topics including truth, consciousness, and epistemology from different angles. His methodology of engaging with different schools of thought as an "insider" and an "outsider" resembles the Gandhian way of developing a theory and method through dialogue. In his life, he relished the writings of both Eastern and Western philosophers; his legacy can be best understood as a "bridge-builder" between disparate philosophical traditions.