The Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram
The Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram (MGSA) was founded on the 27th of September 1970 in Joura, in the district of Morena (Chambal Valley). The Ashram was inaugurated at a run down old house in Joura but moved to it‘s final location three years later. Subba Rao and 100 Volunteers from the Mahatma Gandhi Centenary Mobile Train Exhibition in 1969, collected and donated 16‘000 Rs. as the initial seed-money for the MGSA. Rajagopal P.V. and two other young men setteld first at the Ashram and began a humble Gandhian way of living.

Chambal Valley – Dacoits and Gandhians
Since 13th century the Chambal Area, with it‘s deep ravines formed by continuous land erosion – caused by the chambal and yamuna rivers – is the hide out for generations of outlaws. The region is still suffering from these threats. However, there‘s a huge gap between rich and poor in these area. The injustice which evolved from it is one of the main causes, which affected the life of many men and women and turned them into bandits. Subba Rao started in the early 50‘s to interact and negotiate with the bandits (dacoits in hindi) and other leaders. Over the years he made closer connections to many important officials as well as dacoit leaders. He influenced „Daku“ Man Singh (a notorious dacoit) with his voice in 1953 and his grand son Tehsildar Singh which was also a famous dacoit. Subba Rao‘s connections, speaches and legendary sing performances over all these years, opened the way to the long awaited surrender-act in front of the Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram in Joura. From 14th to the 16th April 1972, 511 dacoits put down their weapons and went to prison freely. From the estimated 800 dacoits who lived in the chambal valley in 1972, 654 of them surrendered.

After bringing peace into the Chambal Valley, the Ashram could finally focus on their main issues. The dacoits are only the symptoms of the structural violence which largely excists in India, especially in the Chambal Valley. With the focus on the structural violence – the injustice,  inequality and discord – the ashram could work with a very clear mind on their larger goals. Therefore the antonyms of the strucural violence are now a part of the Ekta Parishad logo: Justice, Equality and Solidarity.

Light in Darkness
This event brought additional responsibilites to the Ashram and the organisation started to play a more important role in India. After the first blooming years, time got worse. Indira Gandhi came back to power in 1980, which was the same year as Ran Singh Parmar joined the organisation. Indira Gandhi sat up a the commisson (kudal-commision) to enquire against gandhian offices all over India, to take revenge on her lost election after the state of emergency in 1977. Till 1986, when this commission was closed, there were no governmental support. Thus, the Ashram shrunk in 1981 from over 70 Activists to only 4 Activists. One of them was Ran Singh Parmar. With the implemented idea of self-sustainability and hard labour, they could survive those dry years. It was the time where the Khadi production and training began. The Khadi production was the first economic step to a more self-sustainable existance of the Ashram. After 1986, when the governmental support came back, they could enlarge their production and increase their activities. The success story and the experiences of the Ashram, was a fundamental step for start of Ekta Parishad.

1991 Ekta Parishad was founded.