First Quote Added
April 10, 2026
Latest Quote Added
"Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon."
"You criticize without understanding. You seek only to address your own personal feelings. That is selfish thinking, Zindzi. It does not serve the nation."
"Brothers, sisters, comrades, I am here because I believe you have made a decision with insufficient information and foresight. I am aware of your earlier vote. I am aware that it was unanimous. Nonetheless, I believe we should restore the Springboks. Restore their name, their emblem and their colors, immediately. Let me tell you why. On Robben Island, in Pollsmoor Prison, all of my jailers were Afrikaners. For 27 years, I studied them. I learned their language, read their books, their poetry. I had to know my enemy before I could prevail against him. And we did prevail, did we not? All of us here … we prevailed. Our enemy is no longer the Afrikaner. They are our fellow South Africans, our partners in democracy. And they treasure Springbok rugby. If we take that away, we lose them. We prove that we are what they feared we would be. We have to be better than that. We have to surprise them with compassion, with restraint, and generosity. I know. All of the things they denied us. But this is no time to celebrate petty revenge. This is the time to build our nation using every single brick available to us – even if that brick comes wrapped in green and gold. You elected me your leader. Let me lead you now."
"I thank whatever gods maybe, For my unconquerable soul. I am the master of my fate...I am the captain of my soul!"
"[when asked what Mandela wanted during their meeting] I think he wants us to win the World Cup."
"I may break my arm, my leg, my neck, but I will not let that freaking guy go."
"His people needed a leader. He gave them a champion."
"He was a prisoner who became a president. To unite his country, he asked one man to do the impossible."
"Morgan Freeman - Nelson Mandela"
"Matt Damon - François Pienaar"
"Tony Kgoroge - Jason Tshabalala"
"Patrick Mofokeng - Linga Moonsamy"
"Matt Stern - Hendrick Booyens"
"Julian Lewis Jones - Etienne Feyder"
"Adjoa Andoh - Brenda Mazibuko"
"Marguerite Wheatley - Nerine"
"Leleti Khumalo - Mary"
"Patrick Lyster - Mr. Pienaar"
"Penny Downie - Mrs. Pienaar"
"Sibongile Nojila - Eunice"
"Bonnie Henna - Zindzi"
"McNiel Hendriks - Chester Williams"
"Scott Eastwood - Joel Stransky"
"Zak Feaunati - Jonah Lomu"
"Grant L. Roberts - Ruben Kruger"
Young though he was, his radiant energy produced such an impression of absolute reliability that Hedgewar made him the first sarkaryavah, or general secretary, of the RSS.
- Gopal Mukund Huddar
Largely because of the influence of communists in London, Huddar's conversion into an enthusiastic supporter of the fight against fascism was quick and smooth. The ease with which he crossed from one worldview to another betrays the fact that he had not properly understood the world he had grown in.
Huddar would have been 101 now had he been alive. But then centenaries are not celebrated only to register how old so and so would have been and when. They are usually celebrated to explore how much poorer our lives are without them. Maharashtrian public life is poorer without him. It is poorer for not having made the effort to recall an extraordinary life.
I regret I was not there to listen to Balaji Huddar's speech [...] No matter how many times you listen to him, his speeches are so delightful that you feel like listening to them again and again.
By the time he came out of Franco's prison, Huddar had relinquished many of his old ideas. He displayed a worldview completely different from that of the RSS, even though he continued to remain deferential to Hedgewar and maintained a personal relationship with him.