Sankar Character Analysis

Sankar is the Secretary of the Congress Committee in the city of Karwar, which is not so far from Kanthapura. A Gandhian and a lawyer (or “advocate”), Sankar holds rallies on Moorthy’s behalf after his first arrest, where villagers protest for his release from prison. Sankar refused to remarry after losing his wife, a “god-like woman” named Usha, at age 26. A devout follower of Gandhi, Sankar is known for his honorable reputation, and is referred to by many as the “Acestic Advocate” because of his refusal to drink like the other lawyers or take a case he does not believe in. In fact, he is so principled in his commitment to Gandhist nationalism that he takes Hindi class (Hindi will be India’s national language) and begins speaking to everyone in Hindi—even to those, like his mother, who understand not a word of it. Nonetheless, the Kanthapura villagers often view Sankar with at least some suspicion, simply because he is from the city, which they do not trust.