biography of gandhi

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Mahatma Gandhi

By: History.com Editors

Updated: June 6, 2019 | Original: July 30, 2010

Revered the world over for his nonviolent philosophy of passive resistance, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was known to his many followers as Mahatma, or “the great-souled one.” He began his activism as an Indian immigrant in South Africa in the early 1900s, and in the years following World War I became the leading figure in India’s struggle to gain independence from Great Britain. Known for his ascetic lifestyle–he often dressed only in a loincloth and shawl–and devout Hindu faith, Gandhi was imprisoned several times during his pursuit of non-cooperation, and undertook a number of hunger strikes to protest the oppression of India’s poorest classes, among other injustices. After Partition in 1947, he continued to work toward peace between Hindus and Muslims. Gandhi was shot to death in Delhi in January 1948 by a Hindu fundamentalist.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, at Porbandar, in the present-day Indian state of Gujarat. His father was the dewan (chief minister) of Porbandar; his deeply religious mother was a devoted practitioner of Vaishnavism (worship of the Hindu god Vishnu), influenced by Jainism, an ascetic religion governed by tenets of self-discipline and nonviolence. At the age of 19, Mohandas left home to study law in London at the Inner Temple, one of the city’s four law colleges. Upon returning to India in mid-1891, he set up a law practice in Bombay, but met with little success. He soon accepted a position with an Indian firm that sent him to its office in South Africa. Along with his wife, Kasturbai, and their children, Gandhi remained in South Africa for nearly 20 years.

Did you know? In the famous Salt March of April-May 1930, thousands of Indians followed Gandhi from Ahmadabad to the Arabian Sea. The march resulted in the arrest of nearly 60,000 people, including Gandhi himself.

Gandhi was appalled by the discrimination he experienced as an Indian immigrant in South Africa. When a European magistrate in Durban asked him to take off his turban, he refused and left the courtroom. On a train voyage to Pretoria, he was thrown out of a first-class railway compartment and beaten up by a white stagecoach driver after refusing to give up his seat for a European passenger. That train journey served as a turning point for Gandhi, and he soon began developing and teaching the concept of satyagraha (“truth and firmness”), or passive resistance, as a way of non-cooperation with authorities.

The Birth of Passive Resistance

In 1906, after the Transvaal government passed an ordinance regarding the registration of its Indian population, Gandhi led a campaign of civil disobedience that would last for the next eight years. During its final phase in 1913, hundreds of Indians living in South Africa, including women, went to jail, and thousands of striking Indian miners were imprisoned, flogged and even shot. Finally, under pressure from the British and Indian governments, the government of South Africa accepted a compromise negotiated by Gandhi and General Jan Christian Smuts, which included important concessions such as the recognition of Indian marriages and the abolition of the existing poll tax for Indians.

In July 1914, Gandhi left South Africa to return to India. He supported the British war effort in World War I but remained critical of colonial authorities for measures he felt were unjust. In 1919, Gandhi launched an organized campaign of passive resistance in response to Parliament’s passage of the Rowlatt Acts, which gave colonial authorities emergency powers to suppress subversive activities. He backed off after violence broke out–including the massacre by British-led soldiers of some 400 Indians attending a meeting at Amritsar–but only temporarily, and by 1920 he was the most visible figure in the movement for Indian independence.

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The iconic Indian activist, known for his principle of nonviolent resistance, had humble beginnings and left an outsized legacy.

When Gandhi’s Salt March Rattled British Colonial Rule

In March 1930, Mahatma Gandhi and his followers set off on a brisk 241‑mile march to the Arabian Sea town of Dandi to lay Indian claim to the nation's own salt.

Assassination of Gandhi

Passive Resistance For some 50 years, Gandhi, born on October 2, 1869, and called “Mahatma” (“great‑souled” in Sanskrit), fought for India’s independence from Britain, practicing civil disobedience and peaceful protests that included fasting, boycotts and marches. He was an adherent of satyagraha (“truth‑force”), a passive political resistance he defined as “a weapon of the strongest […]

Leader of a Movement

As part of his nonviolent non-cooperation campaign for home rule, Gandhi stressed the importance of economic independence for India. He particularly advocated the manufacture of khaddar, or homespun cloth, in order to replace imported textiles from Britain. Gandhi’s eloquence and embrace of an ascetic lifestyle based on prayer, fasting and meditation earned him the reverence of his followers, who called him Mahatma (Sanskrit for “the great-souled one”). Invested with all the authority of the Indian National Congress (INC or Congress Party), Gandhi turned the independence movement into a massive organization, leading boycotts of British manufacturers and institutions representing British influence in India, including legislatures and schools.

After sporadic violence broke out, Gandhi announced the end of the resistance movement, to the dismay of his followers. British authorities arrested Gandhi in March 1922 and tried him for sedition; he was sentenced to six years in prison but was released in 1924 after undergoing an operation for appendicitis. He refrained from active participation in politics for the next several years, but in 1930 launched a new civil disobedience campaign against the colonial government’s tax on salt, which greatly affected Indian’s poorest citizens.

A Divided Movement

In 1931, after British authorities made some concessions, Gandhi again called off the resistance movement and agreed to represent the Congress Party at the Round Table Conference in London. Meanwhile, some of his party colleagues–particularly Mohammed Ali Jinnah, a leading voice for India’s Muslim minority–grew frustrated with Gandhi’s methods, and what they saw as a lack of concrete gains. Arrested upon his return by a newly aggressive colonial government, Gandhi began a series of hunger strikes in protest of the treatment of India’s so-called “untouchables” (the poorer classes), whom he renamed Harijans, or “children of God.” The fasting caused an uproar among his followers and resulted in swift reforms by the Hindu community and the government.

In 1934, Gandhi announced his retirement from politics in, as well as his resignation from the Congress Party, in order to concentrate his efforts on working within rural communities. Drawn back into the political fray by the outbreak of World War II , Gandhi again took control of the INC, demanding a British withdrawal from India in return for Indian cooperation with the war effort. Instead, British forces imprisoned the entire Congress leadership, bringing Anglo-Indian relations to a new low point.

Partition and Death of Gandhi

After the Labor Party took power in Britain in 1947, negotiations over Indian home rule began between the British, the Congress Party and the Muslim League (now led by Jinnah). Later that year, Britain granted India its independence but split the country into two dominions: India and Pakistan. Gandhi strongly opposed Partition, but he agreed to it in hopes that after independence Hindus and Muslims could achieve peace internally. Amid the massive riots that followed Partition, Gandhi urged Hindus and Muslims to live peacefully together, and undertook a hunger strike until riots in Calcutta ceased.

In January 1948, Gandhi carried out yet another fast, this time to bring about peace in the city of Delhi. On January 30, 12 days after that fast ended, Gandhi was on his way to an evening prayer meeting in Delhi when he was shot to death by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic enraged by Mahatma’s efforts to negotiate with Jinnah and other Muslims. The next day, roughly 1 million people followed the procession as Gandhi’s body was carried in state through the streets of the city and cremated on the banks of the holy Jumna River.

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Biography Online

Mahatma Gandhi Biography

Mahatma Gandhi was a prominent Indian political leader who was a leading figure in the campaign for Indian independence. He employed non-violent principles and peaceful disobedience as a means to achieve his goal. He was assassinated in 1948, shortly after achieving his life goal of Indian independence. In India, he is known as ‘Father of the Nation’.

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it–always.”

Short Biography of Mahatma Gandhi

Around this time, he also studied the Bible and was struck by the teachings of Jesus Christ  – especially the emphasis on humility and forgiveness. He remained committed to the Bible and Bhagavad Gita throughout his life, though he was critical of aspects of both religions.

Gandhi in South Africa

On completing his degree in Law, Gandhi returned to India, where he was soon sent to South Africa to practise law. In South Africa, Gandhi was struck by the level of racial discrimination and injustice often experienced by Indians. In 1893, he was thrown off a train at the railway station in Pietermaritzburg after a white man complained about Gandhi travelling in first class. This experience was a pivotal moment for Gandhi and he began to represent other Indias who experienced discrimination. As a lawyer he was in high demand and soon he became the unofficial leader for Indians in South Africa. It was in South Africa that Gandhi first experimented with campaigns of civil disobedience and protest; he called his non-violent protests satyagraha . Despite being imprisoned for short periods of time, he also supported the British under certain conditions. During the Boer war, he served as a medic and stretcher-bearer. He felt that by doing his patriotic duty it would make the government more amenable to demands for fair treatment. Gandhi was at the Battle of Spion serving as a medic. An interesting historical anecdote, is that at this battle was also Winston Churchill and Louis Botha (future head of South Africa) He was decorated by the British for his efforts during the Boer War and Zulu rebellion.

Gandhi and Indian Independence

After 21 years in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India in 1915. He became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement campaigning for home rule or Swaraj .

Gandhi also encouraged his followers to practise inner discipline to get ready for independence. Gandhi said the Indians had to prove they were deserving of independence. This is in contrast to independence leaders such as Aurobindo Ghose , who argued that Indian independence was not about whether India would offer better or worse government, but that it was the right for India to have self-government.

Gandhi also clashed with others in the Indian independence movement such as Subhas Chandra Bose who advocated direct action to overthrow the British.

Gandhi frequently called off strikes and non-violent protest if he heard people were rioting or violence was involved.

In 1930, Gandhi led a famous march to the sea in protest at the new Salt Acts. In the sea, they made their own salt, in violation of British regulations. Many hundreds were arrested and Indian jails were full of Indian independence followers.

“With this I’m shaking the foundations of the British Empire.”

– Gandhi – after holding up a cup of salt at the end of the salt march.

However, whilst the campaign was at its peak some Indian protesters killed some British civilians, and as a result, Gandhi called off the independence movement saying that India was not ready. This broke the heart of many Indians committed to independence. It led to radicals like Bhagat Singh carrying on the campaign for independence, which was particularly strong in Bengal.

In 1931, Gandhi was invited to London to begin talks with the British government on greater self-government for India, but remaining a British colony. During his three month stay, he declined the government’s offer of a free hotel room, preferring to stay with the poor in the East End of London. During the talks, Gandhi opposed the British suggestions of dividing India along communal lines as he felt this would divide a nation which was ethnically mixed. However, at the summit, the British also invited other leaders of India, such as BR Ambedkar and representatives of the Sikhs and Muslims. Although the dominant personality of Indian independence, he could not always speak for the entire nation.

Gandhi’s humour and wit

During this trip, he visited King George in Buckingham Palace, one apocryphal story which illustrates Gandhi’s wit was the question by the king – what do you think of Western civilisation? To which Gandhi replied

“It would be a good idea.”

Gandhi wore a traditional Indian dress, even whilst visiting the king. It led Winston Churchill to make the disparaging remark about the half naked fakir. When Gandhi was asked if was sufficiently dressed to meet the king, Gandhi replied

“The king was wearing clothes enough for both of us.”

Gandhi once said he if did not have a sense of humour he would have committed suicide along time ago.

Gandhi and the Partition of India

After the war, Britain indicated that they would give India independence. However, with the support of the Muslims led by Jinnah, the British planned to partition India into two: India and Pakistan. Ideologically Gandhi was opposed to partition. He worked vigorously to show that Muslims and Hindus could live together peacefully. At his prayer meetings, Muslim prayers were read out alongside Hindu and Christian prayers. However, Gandhi agreed to the partition and spent the day of Independence in prayer mourning the partition. Even Gandhi’s fasts and appeals were insufficient to prevent the wave of sectarian violence and killing that followed the partition.

Away from the politics of Indian independence, Gandhi was harshly critical of the Hindu Caste system. In particular, he inveighed against the ‘untouchable’ caste, who were treated abysmally by society. He launched many campaigns to change the status of untouchables. Although his campaigns were met with much resistance, they did go a long way to changing century-old prejudices.

At the age of 78, Gandhi undertook another fast to try and prevent the sectarian killing. After 5 days, the leaders agreed to stop killing. But ten days later Gandhi was shot dead by a Hindu Brahmin opposed to Gandhi’s support for Muslims and the untouchables.

Gandhi and Religion

Gandhi was a seeker of the truth.

“In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.”

Gandhi said his great aim in life was to have a vision of God. He sought to worship God and promote religious understanding. He sought inspiration from many different religions: Jainism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and incorporated them into his own philosophy.

On several occasions, he used religious practices and fasting as part of his political approach. Gandhi felt that personal example could influence public opinion.

“When every hope is gone, ‘when helpers fail and comforts flee,’ I find that help arrives somehow, from I know not where. Supplication, worship, prayer are no superstition; they are acts more real than the acts of eating, drinking, sitting or walking. It is no exaggeration to say that they alone are real, all else is unreal.”

– Gandhi Autobiography – The Story of My Experiments with Truth

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “ Biography of Mahatma Gandhi” , Oxford, UK.  www.biographyonline.net 12th Jan 2011. Last updated 1 Feb 2020.

The Essential Gandhi

The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas at Amazon

Gandhi: An Autobiography – The Story of My Experiments With Truth at Amazon

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• Nehru Biography

He stood out in his time in history. Non violence as he practised it was part of his spiritual learning usedvas a political tool. How can one say he wasn’t a good lawyer or he wasn’t a good leader when he had such a following and he was part of the negotiations thar brought about Indian Independance? I just dipped into this ti find out about the salt march.:)

• February 09, 2019 9:31 AM
• By Lakmali Gunawardena

mahatma gandhi was a good person but he wasn’t all good because when he freed the indian empire the partition grew between the muslims and they fought .this didn’t happen much when the british empire was in control because muslims and hindus had a common enemy to unite against.

I am not saying the british empire was a good thing.

• January 01, 2019 3:24 PM
• By marcus carpenter

Dear very nice information Gandhi ji always inspired us thanks a lot.

• October 01, 2018 1:40 PM

FATHER OF NATION

• June 03, 2018 8:34 AM

Gandhi was a lawyer who did not make a good impression as a lawyer. His success and influence was mediocre in law religion and politics. He rose to prominence by chance. He was neither a good lawyer or a leader circumstances conspired at a time in history for him to stand out as an astute leader both in South Africa and in India. The British were unable to control the tidal wave of independence in all the countries they ruled at that time. Gandhi was astute enough to seize the opportunity and used non violence as a tool which had no teeth but caused sufficient concern for the British to negotiate and hand over territories which they had milked dry.

• February 09, 2018 2:30 PM
• By A S Cassim

By being “astute enough to seize the opportunity” and not being pushed down/ defeated by an Empire, would you agree this is actually the reason why Gandhi made a good impression as a leader? Also, despite his mediocre success and influence as you mentioned, would you agree the outcome of his accomplishments are clearly a demonstration he actually was relevant to law, religion and politics?

• November 23, 2018 12:45 AM

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Mahatma Gandhi summary

Explore the life of mahatma gandhi as a political and social activist.

Mahatma Gandhi , byname of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , (born Oct. 2, 1869, Porbandar, India—died Jan. 30, 1948, Delhi), Preeminent leader of Indian nationalism and prophet of nonviolence in the 20th century.

Gandhi grew up in a home steeped in religion, and he took for granted religious tolerance and the doctrine of ahimsa (noninjury to all living beings). He studied law in England from 1888 to 1891, and in 1893 he took a job with an Indian firm in South Africa. There he became an effective advocate for Indian rights.

In 1906 he first put into action satyagraha, his technique of nonviolent resistance. His success in South Africa gave him an international reputation, and in 1915 he returned to India and within a few years became the leader of a nationwide struggle for Indian home rule. By 1920 Gandhi commanded influence hitherto unattained by any political leader in India.

He refashioned the Indian National Congress into an effective political instrument of Indian nationalism and undertook major campaigns of nonviolent resistance in 1920–22, 1930–34 (including his momentous march to the sea to collect salt to protest a government monopoly), and 1940–42. In the 1930s he also campaigned to end discrimination against India’s lower-caste “ untouchables ” (Dalits; officially designated as Scheduled Castes) and concentrated on educating rural India and promoting cottage industry.

India achieved dominion status in 1947, but the partition of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan was a great disappointment to Gandhi, who had long worked for Hindu-Muslim unity. In September 1947 he ended rioting in Calcutta (Kolkata) by fasting. Known as the Mahatma (“Great-Souled”), Gandhi had won the affection and loyalty of millions. In January 1948 he was shot and killed by a young Hindu fanatic.

Mahatma Gandhi

Date of Birth: October 2, 1869

Place of Birth: Porbandar, British India (now Gujarat)

Date of Death: January 30, 1948

Place of Death: Delhi, India

Cause of Death: Assassination

Professions: Lawyer, politician, activist, writer

Spouse : Kasturba Gandhi

Children: Harilal Gandhi, Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi and Devdas Gandhi

Father: Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi

Mother: Putlibai Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an eminent freedom activist and an influential political leader who played a dominant role in India's struggle for independence. Gandhi is known by different names, such as Mahatma (a great soul), Bapuji (endearment for father in Gujarati) and Father of the Nation. Every year, his birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday in India, and also observed as the International Day of Nonviolence. Mahatma Gandhi, as he is most commonly referred to, was instrumental in liberating India from the clutches of the British. With his unusual yet powerful political tools of Satyagraha and non-violence, he inspired several other political leaders all over the world including the likes of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr and Aung San Suu Kyi. Gandhi, apart from helping India triumph in its fight for independence against the English, also led a simple and righteous life, for which he is often revered. Gandhi's early life was pretty much ordinary, and he became a great man during the course of his life. This is one of the main reasons why Gandhi is followed by millions, for he proved that one can become a great soul during the course of one’s life, should they possess the will to do so. 

M. K. Gandhi was born in the princely state of Porbandar, which is located in modern-day Gujarat. He was born into a Hindu merchant caste family to Karamchand Gandhi, diwan of Porbandar and his fourth wife, Putlibai. Gandhi’s mother belonged to an affluent Pranami Vaishnava family. As a child, Gandhi was a very naughty and mischievous kid. In fact, his sister Raliat had once revealed that hurting dogs by twisting their ears was among Maohandas’ favorite pastime. During the course of his childhood, Gandhi befriended Sheikh Mehtab, who was introduced to him by his older brother. Gandhi, who was raised by a vegetarian family, started eating meat. It is also said that a young Gandhi accompanied Sheikh to a brothel, but left the place after finding it uncomfortable. Gandhi, along with one of his relatives, also cultivated the habit of smoking after watching his uncle smoke. After smoking the leftover cigarettes, thrown away by his uncle, Gandhi started stealing copper coins from his servants in order to buy Indian cigarettes. When he could no longer steal, he even decided to commit suicide such was Gandhi’s addiction to cigarettes. At the age of fifteen, after stealing a bit of gold from his friend Sheikh’s armlet, Gandhi felt remorseful and confessed to his father about his stealing habit and vowed to him that he would never commit such mistakes again.

In his early years, Gandhi was deeply influenced by the stories of Shravana and Harishchandra that reflected the importance of truth. Through these stories and from his personal experiences, he realized that truth and love are among the supreme values. Mohandas married Kasturba Makhanji at the age of 13. Gandhi later went on to reveal that the marriage didn’t mean anything to him at that age and that he was happy and excited only about wearing new set of clothes. But then as days passed by, his feelings for her turned lustful, which he later confessed with regret in his autobiography. Gandhi had also confessed that he could no more concentrate in school because of his mind wavering towards his new and young wife.

After his family moved to Rajkot, a nine year old Gandhi was enrolled at a local school, where he studied the basics of arithmetic, history, geography and languages. When he was 11 years old, he attended a high school in Rajkot. He lost an academic year in between because of his wedding but later rejoined the school and eventually completed his schooling. He then dropped out of Samaldas College in Bhavnagar State after joining it in the year 1888. Later Gandhi was advised by a family friend Mavji Dave Joshiji to pursue law in London. Excited by the idea, Gandhi managed to convince his mother and wife by vowing before them that he would abstain from eating meat and from having sex in London. Supported by his brother, Gandhi left to London and attended the Inner Temple and practiced law. During his stay in London, Gandhi joined a Vegetarian Society and was soon introduced to Bhagavad Gita by some of his vegetarian friends. The contents of Bhagavad Gita would later have a massive influence on his life. He came back to India after being called to the bar by Inner Temple.

Gandhi in South Africa

After returning to India, Gandhi struggled to find work as a lawyer. In 1893, Dada Abdullah, a merchant who owned a shipping business in South Africa asked if he would be interested to serve as his cousin’s lawyer in South Africa. Gandhi gladly accepted the offer and left to South Africa, which would serve as a turning point in his political career. 

In South Africa, he faced racial discrimination directed towards blacks and Indians. He faced humiliation on many occasions but made up his mind to fight for his rights. This turned him into an activist and he took upon him many cases that would benefit the Indians and other minorities living in South Africa. Indians were not allowed to vote or walk on footpaths as those privileges were limited strictly to the Europeans. Gandhi questioned this unfair treatment and eventually managed to establish an organization named ‘Natal Indian Congress’ in 1894. After he came across an ancient Indian literature known as ‘Tirukkural’, which was originally written in Tamil and later translated into many languages, Gandhi was influenced by the idea of Satyagraha (devotion to the truth) and implemented non-violent protests around 1906. After spending 21 years in South Africa, where he fought for civil rights, he had transformed into a new person and he returned to India in 1915. 

Gandhi and the Indian National Congress

After his long stay in South Africa and his activism against the racist policy of the British, Gandhi had earned the reputation as a nationalist, theorist and organiser. Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, invited Gandhi to join India’s struggle for independence against the British Rule. Gokhale thoroughly guided Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi about the prevailing political situation in India and also the social issues of the time. He then joined the Indian National Congress and before taking over the leadership in 1920, headed many agitations which he named Satyagraha.

Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/17029304817074165/

Champaran Satyagraha

The Champaran agitation in 1917 was the first major success of Gandhi after his arrival in India. The peasants of the area were forced by the British landlords to grow Indigo, which was a cash crop, but its demand had been declining. To make the matters worse, they were forced to sell their crops to the planters at a fixed price. The farmers turned to Gandhiji for help. Pursuing a strategy of nonviolent agitation, Gandhi took the administration by surprise and was successful in getting concessions from the authorities. This campaign marked Gandhi’s arrival in India!

Kheda Satyagraha

Farmers asked the British to relax the payment of taxes as Kheda was hit by floods in 1918. When the British failed to pay heed to the requests, Gandhi took the case of the farmers and led the protests. He instructed them to refrain from paying revenues no matter what. Later, the British gave in and accepted to relax the revenue collection and gave its word to Vallabhbhai Patel, who had represented the farmers.  

Image source: YouTube.com

Khilafat Movement Post World War I

Gandhi had agreed to support the British during their fight in World War I. But the British failed to grant independence post the war, as promised earlier, and as a result of this Khilafat Movement was launched. Gandhi realized that Hindus and Muslims must unite to fight the British and urged both the communities to show solidarity and unity. But his move was questioned by many Hindu leaders. Despite the opposition from many leaders, Gandhi managed to amass the support of Muslims. But as the Khilafat Movement ended abruptly, all his efforts evaporated into thin air.

Non-cooperation Movement and Gandhi

Non-cooperation Movement was one of Gandhi’s most important movements against the British. Gandhi’s urged his fellow countrymen to stop co-operation with the British. He believed that the British succeeded in India only because of the co-operation of the Indians. He had cautioned the British not to pass the Rowlatt Act, but they did not pay any attention to his words and passed the Act. As announced, Gandhiji asked everyone to start civil disobedience against the British. The British began suppressing the civil disobedience movement by force and opened fire on a peaceful crowd in Delhi. The British asked Gandhiji to not enter Delhi which he defied as a result of which he was arrested and this further enraged people and they rioted. He urged people to show unity, non-violence and respect for human life. But the British responded aggressively to this and arrested many protesters. 

On 13 April 1919, a British officer, Dyer, ordered his forces to open fire on a peaceful gathering, including women and children, in Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh. As a result of this, hundreds of innocent Hindu and Sikh civilians were killed. The incident is known as ‘Jallianwala Bagh Massacre’. But Gandhi criticized the protesters instead of blaming the English and asked Indians to use love while dealing with the hatred of British. He urged the Indians to refrain from all kinds of non-violence and went on fast-to-death to pressure Indians to stop their rioting.  

Image source: Wikimedia.org

The concept of non-cooperation became very popular and started spreading through the length and breadth of India. Gandhi extended this movement and focused on Swaraj. He urged people to stop using British goods. He also asked people to resign from government employment, quit studying in British institutions and stop practicing in law courts. However, the violent clash in Chauri Chaura town of Uttar Pradesh, in February 1922, forced Gandhiji to call-off the movement all of a sudden. Gandhi was arrested on 10th March 1922 and was tried for sedition. He was sentenced to six years imprisonment, but served only two years in prison. 

Simon Commission & Salt Satyagraha (Dandi March)

During the period of 1920s, Mahatma Gandhi concentrated on resolving the wedge between the Swaraj Party and the Indian National Congress. In 1927, British had appointed Sir John Simon as the head of a new constitutional reform commission, popularly known as ‘Simon Commission’. There was not even a single Indian in the commission. Agitated by this, Gandhi passed a resolution at the Calcutta Congress in December 1928, calling on the British government to grant India dominion status. In case of non-compliance with this demand, the British were to face a new campaign of non-violence, having its goal as complete independence for the country. The resolution was rejected by the British. The flag of India was unfurled by the Indian national Congress on 31st December 1929 at its Lahore session. January 26, 1930 was celebrated as the Independence Day of India. 

But the British failed to recognize it and soon they levied a tax on salt and Salt Satyagraha was launched in March 1930, as an opposition to this move. Gandhi started the Dandi March with his followers in March, going from Ahmedabad to Dandi on foot. The protest was successful and resulted in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact in March 1931.

Negotiations over Round Table Conferences

Post the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Gandhi was invited to round table conferences by the British. While Gandhi pressed for the Indian independence, British questioned Gandhi’s motives and asked him not to speak for the entire nation. They invited many religious leaders and B. R. Ambedkar to represent the untouchables. The British promised many rights to various religious groups as well as the untouchables. Fearing this move would divide India further, Gandhi protested against this by fasting. After learning about the true intentions of the British during the second conference, he came up with another Satyagraha, for which he was once again arrested.

Quit India Movement

As the World War II progressed, Mahatma Gandhi intensified his protests for the complete independence of India. He drafted a resolution calling for the British to Quit India. The 'Quit India Movement' or the 'Bharat Chhodo Andolan' was the most aggressive movement launched by the Indian national Congrees under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was arrested on 9th August 1942 and was held for two years in the Aga Khan Palace in Pune, where he lost his secretary, Mahadev Desai and his wife, Kasturba. The Quit India Movement came to an end by the end of 1943, when the British gave hints that complete power would be transferred to the people of India. Gandhi called off the movement which resulted in the release of 100,000 political prisoners. 

Freedom and Partition of India

The independence cum partition proposal offered by the British Cabinet Mission in 1946 was accepted by the Congress, despite being advised otherwise by Mahatma Gandhi. Sardar Patel convinced Gandhi that it was the only way to avoid civil war and he reluctantly gave his consent. After India's independence, Gandhi focused on peace and unity of Hindus and Muslims. He launched his last fast-unto-death in Delhi, and asked people to stop communal violence and emphasized that the payment of Rs. 55 crores, as per the Partition Council agreement, be made to Pakistan. Ultimately, all political leaders conceded to his wishes and he broke his fast. 

Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi

The inspiring life of Mahatma Gandhi came to an end on 30th January 1948, when he was shot by a fanatic, Nathuram Godse, at point-blank range. Nathuram was a Hindu radical, who held Gandhi responsible for weakening India by ensuring the partition payment to Pakistan. Godse and his co-conspirator, Narayan Apte, were later tried and convicted. They were executed on 15th November 1949. 

Mahatma Gandhi’s Legacy

Mahatma Gandhi proposed the acceptance and practice of truth, peace, non-violence, vegetarianism, Brahmacharya (celibacy), simplicity and faith in God. Though he would be remembered forever for his great contribution to the Indian freedom movement, his greatest legacies are the tools of peace and non-iolence that he preached and used in India's struggle for freedom against the British. He was for peace and non-violence all over the world, as he truly believed that only these virtues can save the mankind. Mahatma Gandhi once wrote a letter to Hitler , before the World War II, pleading him to avoid war. These methods inspired several other world leaders in their struggle against injustice. His statues are installed all over the world and he is considered the most prominent personality in Indian history.

Gandhi in Popular Culture

The word Mahatma is often mistaken in the West as Gandhi’s first name. His extraordinary life inspired innumerable works of art in the field of literature, art and showbiz. Many movies and documentaries have been made on the life of the Mahatma. Post the Independence, Gandhi’s image became the mainstay of Indian paper currency. 

Source: Mahatma Gandhi Quotes @ FamousQuotes123

Biography of Mohandas Gandhi, Indian Independence Leader

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Mohandas Gandhi (October 2, 1869–January 30, 1948) was the father of the Indian independence movement. While fighting discrimination in South Africa, Gandhi developed satyagrah a, a nonviolent way of protesting injustice. Returning to his birthplace of India, Gandhi spent his remaining years working to end British rule of his country and to better the lives of India's poorest classes.

Fast Facts: Mohandas Gandhi

• Known For : Leader of India's independence movement
• Also Known As : Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Mahatma ("Great Soul"), Father of the Nation, Bapu ("Father"), Gandhiji
• Born : October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India
• Parents : Karamchand and Putlibai Gandhi
• Died : January 30, 1948 in New Delhi, India
• Education : Law degree, Inner Temple, London, England
• Published Works : Mohandas K. Gandhi, Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth , Freedom's Battle
• Spouse : Kasturba Kapadia
• Children : Harilal Gandhi, Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi, Devdas Gandhi
• Notable Quote : "The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members."

Mohandas Gandhi was born October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India, the last child of his father Karamchand Gandhi and his fourth wife Putlibai. Young Gandhi was a shy, mediocre student. At age 13, he married Kasturba Kapadia as part of an arranged marriage. She bore four sons and supported Gandhi's endeavors until her 1944 death.

In September 1888 at age 18, Gandhi left India alone to study law in London. He attempted to become an English gentleman, buying suits, fine-tuning his English accent, learning French, and taking music lessons. Deciding that was a waste of time and money, he spent the rest of his three-year stay as a serious student living a simple lifestyle.

Gandhi also adopted vegetarianism and joined the London Vegetarian Society, whose intellectual crowd introduced Gandhi to authors Henry David Thoreau and Leo Tolstoy . He also studied the "Bhagavad Gita," an epic poem sacred to Hindus. These books' concepts set the foundation for his later beliefs.

Gandhi passed the bar on June 10, 1891, and returned to India. For two years, he attempted to practice law but lacked the knowledge of Indian law and the self-confidence necessary to be a trial lawyer. Instead, he took on a year-long case in South Africa.

At 23, Gandhi again left his family and set off for the British-governed Natal province in South Africa in May 1893. After a week, Gandhi was asked to go to the Dutch-governed Transvaal province. When Gandhi boarded the train, railroad officials ordered him to move to the third-class car. Gandhi, holding first-class tickets, refused. A policeman threw him off the train.

As Gandhi talked to Indians in South Africa, he learned that such experiences were common. Sitting in the cold depot that first night of his trip, Gandhi debated returning to India or fighting the discrimination. He decided that he couldn't ignore these injustices.

Gandhi spent 20 years bettering Indians' rights in South Africa, becoming a resilient, potent leader against discrimination. He learned about Indian grievances, studied the law, wrote letters to officials, and organized petitions. On May 22, 1894, Gandhi established the Natal Indian Congress (NIC). Although it began as an organization for wealthy Indians, Gandhi expanded it to all classes and castes. He became a leader of South Africa's Indian community, his activism covered by newspapers in England and India.

In 1896 after three years in South Africa, Gandhi sailed to India to bring his wife and two sons back with him, returning in November. Gandhi's ship was quarantined at the harbor for 23 days, but the real reason for the delay was an angry mob of whites at the dock who believed Gandhi was returning with Indians who would overrun South Africa.

Gandhi sent his family to safety, but he was assaulted with bricks, rotten eggs, and fists. Police escorted him away. Gandhi refuted the claims against him but refused to prosecute those involved. The violence stopped, strengthening Gandhi's prestige.

Influenced by the "Gita," Gandhi wanted to purify his life by following the concepts of aparigraha  (nonpossession) and  samabhava  (equitability). A friend gave him "Unto This Last" by  John Ruskin , which inspired Gandhi to establish Phoenix Settlement, a community outside Durban, in June 1904. The settlement focused on eliminating needless possessions and living in full equality. Gandhi moved his family and his newspaper, the  Indian Opinion , to the settlement.

In 1906, believing that family life was detracting from his potential as a public advocate, Gandhi took the vow of  brahmacharya  (abstinence from sex). He simplified his vegetarianism to unspiced, usually uncooked foods—mostly fruits and nuts, which he believed would help quiet his urges.

Gandhi believed that his vow of  brahmacharya  allowed him the focus to devise the concept of  satyagraha  in late 1906. In the simplest sense,  satyagraha  is passive resistance, but Gandhi described it as "truth force," or natural right. He believed exploitation was possible only if the exploited and the exploiter accepted it, so seeing beyond the current situation provided power to change it.

In practice,  satyagraha  is nonviolent resistance to injustice. A person using satyagraha could resist injustice by refusing to follow an unjust law or putting up with physical assaults and/or confiscation of his property without anger. There would be no winners or losers; all would understand the "truth" and agree to rescind the unjust law.

Gandhi first organized satyagraha  against the Asiatic Registration Law, or Black Act, which passed in March 1907. It required all Indians to be fingerprinted and carry registration documents at all times. Indians refused fingerprinting and picketed documentation offices. Protests were organized, miners went on strike, and Indians illegally traveled from Natal to the Transvaal in opposition to the act. Many protesters, including Gandhi, were beaten and arrested. After seven years of protest, the Black Act was repealed. The nonviolent protest had succeeded.

After 20 years in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India. By the time he arrived, press reports of his South African triumphs had made him a national hero. He traveled the country for a year before beginning reforms. Gandhi found that his fame conflicted with observing conditions of the poor, so he wore a loincloth ( dhoti ) and sandals, the garb of the masses, during this journey. In cold weather, he added a shawl. This became his lifetime wardrobe.

Gandhi founded another communal settlement in Ahmadabad called Sabarmati Ashram. For the next 16 years, Gandhi lived there with his family.

He was also given the honorary title of Mahatma, or "Great Soul." Many credit Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, winner of the 1913 Nobel Prize for Literature, for awarding Gandhi this name. Peasants viewed Gandhi as a holy man, but he disliked the title because it implied he was special. He viewed himself as ordinary.

After the year ended, Gandhi still felt stifled because of World War I. As part of  satyagraha , Gandhi had vowed never to take advantage of an opponent's troubles. With the British in a major conflict, Gandhi couldn't fight them for Indian freedom. Instead, he used satyagraha  to erase inequities among Indians. Gandhi persuaded landlords to stop forcing tenant farmers to pay increased rent by appealing to their morals and fasted to convince mill owners to settle a strike. Because of Gandhi's prestige, people didn't want to be responsible for his death from fasting.

When the war ended, Gandhi focused on the fight for Indian self-rule ( swaraj ). In 1919, the British handed Gandhi a cause: the Rowlatt Act, which gave the British nearly free rein to detain "revolutionary" elements without trial. Gandhi organized a hartal (strike), which began on March 30, 1919. Unfortunately, the protest turned violent.

Gandhi ended the  hartal  once he heard about the violence, but more than 300 Indians had died and more than 1,100 were injured from British reprisals in the city of Amritsar.  Satyagraha  hadn't been achieved, but the Amritsar Massacre  fueled Indian opinions against the British. The violence showed Gandhi that the Indian people didn't fully believe in satyagraha . He spent much of the 1920s advocating for it and struggling to keep protests peaceful.

Gandhi also began advocating self-reliance as a path to freedom. Since the British established India as a colony, Indians had supplied Britain with raw fiber and then imported the resulting cloth from England. Gandhi advocated that Indians spin their own cloth, popularizing the idea by traveling with a spinning wheel, often spinning yarn while giving a speech. The image of the spinning wheel ( charkha ) became a symbol for independence.

In March 1922, Gandhi was arrested and sentenced to six years in prison for sedition. After two years, he was released following surgery to find his country embroiled in violence between Muslims and Hindus. When Gandhi began a 21-day fast still ill from surgery, many thought he would die, but he rallied. The fast created a temporary peace.

In December 1928, Gandhi and the Indian National Congress (INC) announced a challenge to the British government. If India wasn't granted Commonwealth status by December 31, 1929, they would organize a nationwide protest against British taxes. The deadline passed without change.

Gandhi chose to protest the British salt tax because salt was used in everyday cooking, even by the poorest. The Salt March began a nationwide boycott starting March 12, 1930, when Gandhi and 78 followers walked 200 miles from the Sabarmati Ashram to the sea. The group grew along the way, reaching 2,000 to 3,000. When they reached the coastal town of Dandi on April 5, they prayed all night. In the morning, Gandhi made a presentation of picking up a piece of sea salt from the beach. Technically, he had broken the law.

Thus began an endeavor for Indians to make salt. Some picked up loose salt on the beaches, while others evaporated saltwater. Indian-made salt soon was sold nationwide. Peaceful picketing and marches were conducted. The British responded with mass arrests.

Protesters Beaten

When Gandhi announced a march on the government-owned Dharasana Saltworks, the British imprisoned him without trial. Although they hoped Gandhi's arrest would stop the march, they underestimated his followers. The poet  Sarojini Naidu  led 2,500 marchers. As they reached the waiting police, the marchers were beaten with clubs. News of the brutal beating of peaceful protesters shocked the world.

British viceroy Lord Irwin met with Gandhi and they agreed on the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, which granted limited salt production and freedom for the protesters if Gandhi called off the protests. While many Indians believed that Gandhi hadn't gotten enough from the negotiations, he viewed it as a step toward independence.

Independence

After the success of the Salt March, Gandhi conducted another fast that enhanced his image as a holy man or prophet. Dismayed at the adulation, Gandhi retired from politics in 1934 at age 64. He came out of retirement five years later when the British viceroy announced, without consulting Indian leaders, that India would side with England during  World War II . This revitalized the Indian independence movement.

Many British parliamentarians realized they were facing mass protests and began discussing an independent India. Although Prime Minister  Winston Churchill  opposed losing India as a colony, the British announced in March 1941 that it would free India after World War II. Gandhi wanted independence sooner and organized a "Quit India" campaign in 1942. The British again jailed Gandhi.

Hindu-Muslim Conflict

When Gandhi was released in 1944, independence seemed near. Huge disagreements, however, arose between Hindus and Muslims. Because the majority of Indians were Hindu, Muslims feared losing political power if India became independent. The Muslims wanted six provinces in northwest India, where Muslims predominated, to become an independent country. Gandhi opposed partitioning India and tried to bring the sides together, but that proved too difficult even for the Mahatma.

Violence erupted; entire towns were burned. Gandhi toured India, hoping his presence could curb the violence. Although violence stopped where Gandhi visited, he couldn't be everywhere.

The British, seeing India headed for civil war, decided to leave in August 1947. Before leaving, they got the Hindus, against Gandhi's wishes, to agree to a  partition plan . On August 15, 1947, Britain granted independence to India and to the newly formed Muslim country of Pakistan.

Millions of Muslims marched from India to Pakistan, and millions of Hindus in Pakistan walked to India. Many refugees died from illness, exposure, and dehydration. As 15 million Indians became uprooted from their homes, Hindus and Muslims attacked each other.

Gandhi once again went on a fast. He would only eat again, he stated, once he saw clear plans to stop the violence. The fast began on January 13, 1948. Realizing that the frail, aged Gandhi couldn't withstand a long fast, the sides collaborated. On January 18, more than 100 representatives approached Gandhi with a promise for peace, ending his fast.

Not everyone approved of the plan. Some radical Hindu groups believed that India shouldn't have been partitioned, blaming Gandhi. On January 30, 1948, the 78-year-old Gandhi spent his day discussing issues. Just past 5 p.m., Gandhi began the walk, supported by two grandnieces, to the Birla House, where he was staying in New Delhi, for a prayer meeting. A crowd surrounded him. A young Hindu named Nathuram Godse stopped before him and bowed. Gandhi bowed back. Godse shot Gandhi three times. Although Gandhi had survived five other assassination attempts, he fell to the ground, dead.

Gandhi's concept of nonviolent protest attracted the organizers of numerous demonstrations and movements. Civil rights leaders, especially Martin Luther King Jr. , adopted Gandhi's model for their own struggles.

Research in the second half of the 20th century established Gandhi as a great mediator and reconciler, resolving conflicts between older moderate politicians and young radicals, political terrorists and parliamentarians, urban intelligentsia and rural masses, Hindus and Muslims, as well as Indians and British. He was the catalyst, if not the initiator, of three major revolutions of the 20th century: movements against colonialism, racism, and violence.

His deepest strivings were spiritual, but unlike many fellow Indians with such aspirations, he didn't retire to a Himalayan cave to meditate. Rather, he took his cave with him everywhere he went. And, he left his thoughts to posterity: His collected writings had reached 100 volumes by the early 21st century.

• " Mahatma Gandhi: Indian Leader ." Encyclopaedia Britannica.
• " Mahatma Gandhi ." History.com.
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Mahatma Gandhi: Biography

The life of mahatma gandhi.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more commonly known as ‘ Mahatma ’ (meaning ‘Great Soul’) was born in Porbandar, Gujarat, in North West India, on 2nd October 1869, into a Hindu Modh family. His father was the Chief Minister of Porbandar, and his mother’s religious devotion meant that his upbringing was infused with the Jain pacifist teachings of mutual tolerance, non-injury to living beings and vegetarianism.

Born into a privileged caste, Gandhi was fortunate to receive a comprehensive education, but proved a mediocre student. In May 1883, aged 13, Gandhi was married to Kasturba Makhanji, a girl also aged 13, through the arrangement of their respective parents, as is customary in India. Following his entry into Samaldas College, at the University of Bombay, she bore him the first of four sons, in 1888. Gandhi was unhappy at college, following his parent’s wishes to take the bar, and when he was offered the opportunity of furthering his studies overseas, at University College London, aged 18, he accepted with alacrity, starting there in September 1888.

Gandhi in South Africa

Determined to adhere to Hindu principles, which included vegetarianism as well as alcohol and chastity he found London restrictive initially, but once he had found kindred spirits he flourished, and pursued the philosophical study of religions, including Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and others, having professed no particular interest in religion up until then. Following admission to the English Bar, and his return to India, he found work difficult to come by and, in 1893, accepted a year’s contract to work for an Indian firm in Natal, South Africa .

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Before he became Mahatma: Gandhi in South Africa

Although not yet enshrined in law, the system of ‘ apartheid ’ was very much in evidence in South Africa at the turn of the 20th century. Despite arriving on a year’s contract, Gandhi spent the next 21 years living in South Africa, and railed against the injustice of racial segregation . On one occasion he was thrown from a first class train carriage, despite being in possession of a valid ticket. Witnessing the racial bias experienced by his countrymen served as a catalyst for his later activism, and he attempted to fight segregation at all levels. He founded a political movement, known as the Natal Indian Congress, and developed his theoretical belief in peaceful civil protest into a tangible political stance, when he opposed the introduction of registration for all Indians, within South Africa, via non-cooperation with the relevant civic authorities.

Peaceful disobedience

On his return to India in 1916, Gandhi developed his practice of peaceful civic disobedience still further, raising awareness of oppressive practices in Bihar, in 1918, which saw the local populace oppressed by their largely British masters. He also encouraged oppressed villagers to improve their own circumstances, leading peaceful strikes and protests. His fame spread, and he became widely referred to as ‘Mahatma’ or ‘Great Soul’.

Growing fame

As his fame spread, so his political influence increased: by 1921 he was leading the Indian National Congress, and reorganising the party’s constitution around the principle of ‘Swaraj’, or complete political independence from the British. He also instigated a boycott of British goods and institutions, and his encouragement of mass civil disobedience led to his arrest, on 10th March 1922, and trial on sedition charges, for which he served 2 years, of a 6-year prison sentence.

The Indian National Congress began to splinter during his incarceration, and he remained largely out of the public eye following his release from prison in February 1924, returning four years later, in 1928, to campaign for the granting of ‘dominion status’ to India by the British. When the British introduced a tax on salt in 1930, he famously led a 250-mile march to the sea to collect his own salt . Recognising his political influence nationally, the British authorities were forced to negotiate various settlements with Gandhi over the following years, which resulted in the alleviation of poverty, granted status to the ‘untouchables’, enshrined rights for women, and led inexorably to Gandhi’s goal of ‘Swaraj’: political independence from Britain.

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Assassination attempts.

In total Gandhi suffered six known attempts on his life. The first attempt came on 25th June 1934, when he was in Pune delivering a speech, together with his wife, Kasturba. Travelling in a motorcade of two cars, they were in the second car, which was delayed by the appearance of a train at a railway level crossing, causing the two vehicles to separate. When the first vehicle arrived at the speech venue, a bomb was thrown at the car, which exploded and injured several people. No investigations were carried out at the time, and no arrests were made, although many attribute the attack to Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fundamentalist implacably opposed to Gandhi’s peaceful acceptance and tolerance of all religions, which he felt compromised the supremacy of the Hindu religion. Godse was the person responsible for the final successful attemp t in January 1948, 14 years later.

During the first years of the Second World War , Gandhi’s mission to achieve independence from Britain reached its zenith: he saw no reason why Indians should sacrifice their lives for British sovereignty, in other parts of the world, when they were subjugated at home. This period saw the worst instances of civil uprising under his direction, through his ‘Quit India’ movement. As a result, he was arrested on 9th August 1942, and held for two years at the Aga Khan Palace in Pune. In February 1944, 3 months before his release, his wife Kasturbai passed away in the same prison.

May 1944, the time of his release from prison, saw the second attempt made on his life, this time certainly led by Nathuram Godse, although the attempt was fairly half-hearted. When word reached Godse that Gandhi was staying in a hill station near Pune, recovering from his prison ordeal, he organised a group of like-minded individuals who descended on the area, and mounted a vocal anti-Gandhi protest. When invited to speak to Gandhi, Godse declined, but he attended a prayer meeting later that day, where he rushed towards Gandhi, brandishing a dagger and shouting anti-Gandhi slogans. He was overpowered swiftly by fellow worshippers, and came nowhere near achieving his goal. Godse was not prosecuted at the time.

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Four months later, in September 1944, Godse led a group of Hindu activist demonstrators who accosted Gandhi at a train station, on his return from political talks. Godse was again found to be in possession of a dagger that, although not drawn, was assumed to be the means by which he would again seek to attack Gandhi. It was officially regarded as the third attempt, by the commission set up to investigate Gandhi’s death in 1948.

The partition of India

The British plan to partition what had been British-ruled India, into Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India, was vehemently opposed by Gandhi, who foresaw the problems that would result from the split. Nevertheless, the Congress Party ignored his concerns, and accepted the partition proposals put forward by the British.

The fourth attempt on Gandhi’s life took the form of a planned train derailment. On 29th June 1946, a train called the ‘Gandhi Special’, carrying him and his entourage, was derailed near Bombay, by means of boulders, which had been piled up on the tracks. Since the train was the only one scheduled at that time, it seems likely that the intended target of derailment was Gandhi himself. He was not injured in the accident. At a prayer meeting after the event Gandhi is quoted as saying:

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“I have not hurt anybody nor do I consider anybody to be my enemy, I can’t understand why there are so many attempts on my life. Yesterday’s attempt on my life has failed. I will not die just yet; I aim to live till the age of 125.”

Sadly, he had only eighteen months to live.

Placed under increasing pressure, by his political contemporaries, to accept Partition as the only way to avoid civil war in India, Gandhi reluctantly concurred with its political necessity, and India celebrated its Independence Day on 15th August 1947. Keenly recognising the need for political unity, Gandhi spent the next few months working tirelessly for Hindu-Muslim peace, fearing the build-up of animosity between the two fledgling states, showing remarkable prescience, given the turbulence of their relationship over the following half-century.

Unfortunately, his efforts to unite the opposing forces proved his undoing. He championed the paying of restitution to Pakistan for lost territories, as outlined in the Partition agreement, which parties in India, fearing that Pakistan would use the payment as a means to build a war arsenal, had opposed. He began a fast in support of the payment , which Hindu radicals, Nathuram Godse among them, viewed as traitorous. When the political effect of his fast secured the payment to Pakistan, it secured with it the fifth attempt on his life.

The assassination of Gandhi

On 20th January a gang of seven Hindu radicals, which included Nathuram Godse, gained access to Birla House, in Delhi, a venue at which Gandhi was due to give an address. One of the men, Madanla Pahwa, managed to gain access to the speaker’s podium, and planted a bomb, encased in a cotton ball, on the wall behind the podium. The plan was to explode the bomb during the speech, causing pandemonium, which would give two other gang members, Digambar Bagde and Shankar Kishtaiyya, an opportunity to shoot Gandhi, and escape in the ensuing chaos. The bomb exploded prematurely, before the conference was underway, and Madanla Pahwa was captured, while the others, including Godse, managed to escape.

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Pahwa admitted the plot under interrogation, but Delhi police were unable to confirm the participation and whereabouts of Godse, although they did try to ascertain his whereabouts through the Bombay police.

After the failed attempt at Birla House, Nathuram Godse and another of the seven, Narayan Apte, returned to Pune, via Bombay, where they purchased a Beretta automatic pistol, before returning once more to Delhi.

On 30th January 1948, whilst Gandhi was on his way to a prayer meeting at Birla House in Delhi, Nathuram Godse managed to get close enough to him in the crowd to be able to shoot him three times in the chest, at point-blank range. Gandhi’s dying words were claimed to be “Hé Rām”, which translates as “Oh God”, although some witnesses claim he spoke no words at all.

Gandhi's death

When news of Gandhi’s death reached the various strongholds of Hindu radicalism, in Pune and other areas throughout India, there was reputedly celebration in the streets. Sweets were distributed publicly, as at a festival. The rest of the world was horrified by the death of a man nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

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Godse, who had made no attempt to flee following the shooting, and his co-conspirator, Narayan Apte, were both imprisoned until their trial on 8th November 1949. They were convicted of Gandhi’s killing, and both were executed, a week later, at Ambala Jail, on 15th November 1949. The supposed architect of the plot, a Hindu extremist named Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Gandhi's legacy

Gandhi was cremated as per Hindu custom, and his ashes are interred at the Aga Khan’s palace in Pune, the site of his incarceration in 1942, and the place his wife had also died.

Gandhi's memorial bears the epigraph “Hé Rām” (“Oh God”) although there is no conclusive proof that he uttered these words before death.

Although Gandhi was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times, he never received it. In the year of his death, 1948, the Prize was not awarded, the stated reason being that “there was no suitable living candidate” that year.

Gandhi's life and teachings have inspired many liberationists of the 20th Century, including Dr. Martin Luther King in the United States, Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko in South Africa, and Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar.

His birthday, 2nd October, is celebrated as a National Holiday in India every year.

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Mahatma Gandhi: Biography, Beliefs, Religion

The biography of Mahatma Gandhi presents an intricate journey of a man deeply rooted in his beliefs and principles. His life story showcases a blend of spiritual, philosophical, and political endeavors that had profound impacts within and beyond religion. Across diverse contexts, Gandhi’s name resonates with notions of peace, nonviolence, and resilience. Dive into the comprehensive narrative of this influential figure and understand the ethos that defined his path.

Table of Contents

Biography Summary

Early Life and Education Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born on October 2, 1869, and tragically died on January 30, 1948. A beacon of peace and nonviolence, Gandhi was an exemplary figure who battled colonial subjugation and heralded India’s independence from oppressive British rule. His unwavering dedication to nonviolent resistance was instrumental in inspiring movements for civil rights and freedom on a global scale.

South African Sojourn

In the coastal state of Gujarat, within a devout Hindu family, Gandhi’s roots were planted. His legal proficiency was honed at the Inner Temple, London, where he achieved his accolade of being called to the bar in June 1891 at the age of 22. Struggling to cultivate a successful law practice in India, Gandhi sought opportunities in South Africa in 1893, representing an Indian merchant in legal matters. South Africa became his home for 21 years, where he not only nurtured a family but also cultivated the strategy of nonviolent resistance as a weapon against injustice and discrimination.

Return to India and National Leadership

1915 marked his return to India, and at 45, Gandhi embarked on a mission to consolidate peasants, farmers, and laborers, championing causes against discrimination and excessive land tax. Steering the Indian National Congress in 1921, his leadership illuminated paths toward mitigating poverty, broadening women’s rights, fostering religious and ethnic harmony, and terminating untouchability. With the embodiment of swaraj or self-rule as his objective, Gandhi became a paragon of simplicity, adopting a lifestyle resonating with the underprivileged.

Defiance Against British Rule

In a defining moment of defiance against British rule, Gandhi spearheaded the 400 km Dandi Salt March in 1930, challenging the stringent British salt tax. His clarion call for the British to “Quit India” echoed through the nation in 1942. Despite numerous incarcerations in South Africa and India, Gandhi’s spirit remained unyielding.

Partition and the Struggle for Peace

As the winds of freedom began to blow across the Indian subcontinent in the early 1940s, they carried with them the storms of partition, driven by the burgeoning demand for a separate Muslim homeland. The twilight of British rule in August 1947 unfurled the dawn of independence, heralding the birth of India and Pakistan. A crucible of turbulence, upheaval, and religious animosity ensued, marring the euphoria of emancipation with the stains of violence and bloodshed.

Gandhi, who envisioned an India resonating with religious pluralism, became a crucible of solace and peace, endeavoring tirelessly to assuage the tempests of violence and discord. Embarking on several hunger strikes, his life became an epitome of sacrifice aimed at halting the horrific religious carnage. His journey, however, was tragically ended by the bullets of Nathuram Godse, a militant Hindu nationalist, on January 30, 1948.

Remembered and revered as the Father of the Nation in the tapestry of post-colonial India, Gandhi’s legacy is enshrined in his unyielding devotion to peace and nonviolence. The global canvas commemorates his birth on October 2 as Gandhi Jayanti and the International Day of Nonviolence, celebrating the luminary who illuminated pathways towards peace, tolerance, and harmony.

Early Life and Background

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town on the Kathiawar Peninsula in the then princely state of Porbandar, part of the Kathiawar Agency of the British Raj. He was born into a Gujarati Hindu Modh Bania family with a prominent status in the region. His father, Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi (1822–1885), held the esteemed Porbandar state’s dewan (chief minister) position, contributing actively to the governance and administration despite having a modest educational background.

The familial lineage of the Gandhis originated from Kutiana village in what was then the Junagadh State. Karamchand, Gandhi’s father, was particularly experienced in state administration, and his influential tenure included a remarriage with Putlibai (1844–1891), who became an essential figure in the family and Gandhi’s life. This union produced several children, with Mohandas being the youngest, born in a rather humble setting within the Gandhi family residence.

Childhood Influences and Education

Gandhi’s early years were marked by a blend of traditional Indian stories and diverse religious exposure, pivotal in shaping his moral compass and philosophical standings. His internalization of truth and love as supreme virtues was profoundly influenced by epic Indian classics, leaving an indelible mark on his conscience and thought processes. A salient feature of Gandhi’s upbringing was the eclectic religious atmosphere at home, rooted in Hindu traditions, enriched with teachings from various texts like the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavata Purana, and several others, offering him a well-rounded spiritual foundation.

A strategic relocation occurred in 1874 when Karamchand moved to Rajkot, assuming the role of a counselor to its ruler, ensuring a degree of security and prestige despite its lesser stature than Porbandar. Gandhi commenced his formal education in Rajkot, engaging in fundamental studies, including arithmetic, history, and the Gujarati language, at a school close to his residence. Furthering his education, he joined Alfred High School, where his academic journey was characterized as average, marked by a noticeable reservation and lack of interest in physical games and activities.

Personal Life and Marriage

Aligning with the prevailing customs of the region, Gandhi, at the age of 13, entered into an arranged marriage in May 1883 with Kasturbai Gokuldas Kapadia, commonly referred to as Kasturba or Ba. Traditional practices marked this marital union, and the initial phases saw Gandhi battling internal feelings of jealousy and possessiveness alongside navigating the typical aspirations and challenges faced by adolescents.

The demise of Karamchand in late 1885 and the death of Gandhi’s firstborn in the same period marked a phase of profound sorrow and loss for Gandhi. Overcoming these personal challenges, Gandhi and Kasturba went on to have four more sons: Harilal (born in 1888), Manilal (born in 1892), Ramdas (born in 1897), and Devdas (born in 1900).

Gandhi’s pursuit of higher education saw him graduate from high school in Ahmedabad in November 1887 and enroll at Samaldas College in Bhavnagar State in January 1888. However, his stint at Samaldas College was short-lived, resulting in a return to his family in Porbandar, marking a temporary pause in his educational journey.

Education: Law Student in London

The pivotal chapter of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s life unfolded when he embarked on a journey to London to delve into legal studies. Driven by advice from Mavji Dave Joshiji, a close Brahmin priest and confidant of the Gandhi family, the voyage was set into motion amidst familial uncertainties and emotional deliberations. Kasturba, Gandhi’s wife, had recently given birth to their first surviving son, Harilal, in July 1888, and the familial reservations, primarily from his mother Putlibai and uncle Tulsidas, weighed heavily against the backdrop of traditional and ethical considerations.

On August 10, 1888, an 18-year-old Gandhi embarked on his journey from Porbandar to Mumbai (then known as Bombay), facing a storm of warnings and skepticism from his community, which fervently questioned the moral implications of his travel to the West. Despite assurances of his unwavering adherence to his vows and cultural norms, Gandhi faced social repercussions, culminating in his excommunication from his caste. Undeterred, Gandhi sailed from Mumbai to London on September 4, 1888, entering a new phase of his life marked by exploration and academic pursuits.

In London, Gandhi’s academic journey found its path in illustrious institutions like the University College, London, where, under the tutelage of scholars like Henry Morley, he immersed himself in studies involving English literature from 1888 to 1889. His legal aspirations were channeled through his enrollment at the Inns of Court School of Law at Inner Temple, fostering his aim of becoming a barrister. London presented a tableau of challenges and avenues, resurrecting his childhood traits of shyness and introversion. His inclination towards personal improvement saw him engage in public speaking forums, which significantly aided in diminishing his reticence, cultivating a foundation crucial for his future legal practices.

Gandhi’s London sojourn was also marked by a conscientious engagement with the societal canvas of the city, particularly the impoverished communities in London’s Docklands. His empathetic involvement became notably evident during a trade dispute in 1889, where dockworkers spearheaded a movement demanding equitable pay and improved working conditions, eliciting solidarity from various sectors, including seamen, shipbuilders, and factory workers. This convergence of collective voices found resolution through successful negotiations, facilitated notably by the mediation efforts of Cardinal Manning. This instance found Gandhi, accompanied by an Indian acquaintance, expressing gratitude towards the cardinal, reflecting his appreciation and respect for efforts fostering justice and welfare in society.

Vegetarianism and Committee Work

During his period of residence in London, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s lifestyle and commitments were profoundly molded by a vow of ethical and cultural fidelity to his mother. In an attempt to assimilate into the English societal fabric, Gandhi adopted local customs of the period, engaging in activities such as dancing lessons. However, his initial experiences, particularly concerning dietary habits, were marred by a struggle with the limited vegetarian options available, leaving him often in discomfort and hunger.

His culinary explorations eventually led him to some of London’s vegetarian establishments, where his ideological perspective was further enriched by literary influences such as the works of Henry Salt. Such exposures paved the way for Gandhi’s active involvement in the London Vegetarian Society (LVS), where he was elected to its executive committee, serving under the leadership of Arnold Hills, a prominent industrialist and the society’s president.

In the sociocultural spheres of society, Gandhi played a pivotal role in extending its influence, contributing to establishing a new chapter in Bayswater. His interactions within the society were characterized by diverse intellectual engagements, including associations with members of the Theosophical Society, an organization founded in 1875 dedicated to promoting universal brotherhood and an in-depth exploration of Buddhist and Hindu literature. This confluence of ideas and philosophies prompted Gandhi towards an enhanced engagement with sacred texts like the Bhagavad Gita, fostering a nuanced understanding and appreciation of its teachings both in original and translated forms.

Ethical Debates within the Society

Gandhi’s tenure at the LVS was also marked by notable disagreements, symbolizing his early forays into challenging authoritative perspectives despite an innate shyness and a general disposition to avoid confrontations. A significant episode of difference emerged between Gandhi and Hills concerning the LVS membership of Thomas Allinson, who was at the center of a debate due to his advocacies related to newly emerging birth control methodologies.

Gandhi’s interactions with Hills, characterized by mutual respect and productivity, faced divergent views regarding the ethical considerations surrounding vegetarianism and broader moral paradigms. Hills, a figure of significant societal standing, marked by accomplishments in industrial enterprises and sports, and a benefactor of LVS, upheld a perspective linking vegetarianism closely with broader moral constructs, positioning it as a movement reflecting Puritan societal values.

The deliberations reached a point of formal discussions and voting within the committee, testing Gandhi’s capacities to articulate and defend his viewpoints amidst personal reservations and shyness. Despite personal ideological differences, Gandhi’s defense of Allinson reflected a nuanced appreciation of individual rights to differing opinions within the collective organizational framework.

A documented reflection of this episode is captured in Gandhi’s autobiographical work, An Autobiography, Vol. I , where he articulated a strong advocacy for allowing diverse viewpoints within society, even if they did not necessarily align with commonly upheld moral perspectives. The culmination of these debates saw the exclusion of Allinson from society after a voting process. Still, the episode unfolded without animosities, maintaining the ethos of respect and dignified disagreements within the society’s operational dynamics.

Admittance to the Bar

In the legal progression of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s life, a pivotal milestone was achieved when he was called to the bar at 22 in June 1891. Gandhi embarked on his journey back to India from London after this significant professional attainment. Upon his return, he was confronted with the sad news of his mother’s demise during his stay in London, a fact his family had kept concealed.

Seeking to establish his professional foothold, Gandhi initially ventured into setting up a law practice in Bombay. However, these attempts did not fructify successfully, owing to psychological barriers that hindered his ability to cross-examine witnesses effectively. Consequently, Gandhi transitioned back to Rajkot, where he engaged in drafting petitions for litigants as a means of earning a living. This career phase was challenged when confrontations with a British officer, Sam Sunny, interrupted his professional pursuits.

Professional Opportunity in South Africa

The year 1893 marked a turning point in Gandhi’s career when a business proposition from Dada Abdullah, a Muslim merchant rooted in Kathiawar, was presented to him. Abdullah, well-established in the shipping industry in South Africa, was searching for a lawyer to represent his distant cousin in Johannesburg, expressing a preference for an individual sharing a Kathiawari heritage.

Negotiations regarding the professional compensation for the proposed assignment resulted in an offer of a total salary amounting to £105. When adjusted for inflation and currency valuation of the period, this would be approximately equivalent to $17,200 in 2019. In addition to the salary, provisions were made for covering travel expenses associated with the assignment. Gandhi’s acceptance of this offer was marked by the understanding that it would entail a commitment of at least a year in the Colony of Natal, South Africa, which was also under the dominion of the British Empire.

This professional opportunity signified a transformative phase in Gandhi’s legal career, marking the initiation of his impactful journey in South Africa, where his experiences and contributions would profoundly shape his ideological and activist orientations.

Civil Rights Journey in South Africa (1893–1914)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s odyssey as a civil rights activist unfolded in South Africa, a journey that spanned 21 years, commencing in April 1893, when a 23-year-old Gandhi set sail to represent Abdullah’s cousin in a legal case. His initial arrival in South Africa was marred by discrimination and racial prejudice due to his ethnic origin and skin color.

This phase of history was notably marked by the unveiling of a bronze statue commemorating Gandhi’s centenary at the Pietermaritzburg Railway Station by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in June 1993. The location had historical significance as the site where Gandhi was ousted from a train due to his refusal to vacate the first-class compartment, a space designated exclusively for Europeans. This incident was instrumental in propelling Gandhi to commit to civil rights activism, catalyzing his resolve to challenge and protest against racial injustices.

His initial perception was of self-identification primarily as a Briton, with his Indian identity being secondary. However, the extensive and entrenched discriminatory practices he experienced and witnessed were pivotal in reshaping his self-perception and ideological orientations. His advocacy extended beyond personal experiences, propelling initiatives aimed at confronting and challenging legislative and systemic manifestations of discrimination against the Indian community in South Africa.

A significant landmark in his South African journey was the conclusion of the Abdullah case in May 1894. However, Gandhi’s intent to return to India was altered by emergent political developments, specifically discriminatory legislative proposals. This prompted an extension of his stay, marking an enhanced engagement in organized activism, notably through the founding of the Natal Indian Congress in 1894. His strategic advocacy included petitions to British officials, such as Joseph Chamberlain, the British Colonial Secretary, seeking to reconsider discriminatory legislative provisions.

Gandhi’s journey also featured participation in the Boer War (1899–1902), where he played a role in forming the Natal Indian Ambulance Corps, engaging in humanitarian services in the conflict zones. This participation was emblematic of Gandhi’s multifaceted activism, integrating pursuits of civil rights advocacy with humanitarian contributions, seeking to challenge prevailing stereotypes and prejudices against the Indian community.

The evolution of his unique methodological approach to civil rights activism culminated in the conceptualization of Satyagraha, or devotion to truth, a form of nonviolent protest. This philosophy was first formally deployed in mass demonstrations against the Transvaal government’s discriminatory registration laws in 1906. The strategic evolution of Gandhi’s activism, characterized by nonviolent protests and civil disobedience, was further informed by cross-cultural intellectual engagements, such as correspondences with Leo Tolstoy.

The legacy of Gandhi’s South African sojourn constituted a transformative impact on his philosophical and strategic approaches to civil rights activism, contributing foundational elements to his subsequent influential role in India’s struggle for independence upon his return in 1915.

European, Indian, and African Intersectionality

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s transformative journey as a civil rights activist in South Africa evolved over the critical years from 1893 to 1914. During these defining decades, Gandhi navigated the tumultuous waters of racial discrimination, political awakening, and profound personal and ideological evolution.

Initially, Gandhi’s primary focus was directed towards the racial injustices faced by the Indian community. The formation of the Natal Indian Congress marked his entrance into the political arena. This political emergence was fueled by personal experiences of racial discrimination and victimization, driving him to channel his energies toward resisting and combating the prevalent racial prejudices and violations of rights. Gandhi’s experiences were characterized by overt racism, reflected in societal attitudes and systemic practices, where he was subjected to derogatory labels and overt expressions of racial hate.

Complexities and evolving perspectives marked the trajectory of Gandhi’s activism. His initial outlook exhibited racial bias, as illustrated in his initial speeches and legal advocacies where distinctions were made between the Indian and African communities. An exemplification of this is visible in his legal briefs prepared in 1895 and speeches made in September 1896, where he delineated the Indian society from the African population in the context of civil rights and societal positioning.

However, a transformative shift became apparent in Gandhi’s perspectives and actions as history unfolded. His activism began to encompass broader horizons, embodying a more inclusive approach toward resisting racial discrimination faced by Africans and Indians. Notable instances of this evolving solidarity included his participation in the Bambatha Rebellion in 1906, where, despite initial reservations, he contributed by forming a volunteer stretcher-bearer unit comprising both Indian and African individuals.

In a reflection of his expanding vision and activism, by 1910, Gandhi’s Indian Opinion newspaper began to address and highlight the racial injustices faced by the African community under the colonial regime inclusively. This period also saw the establishment of Tolstoy Farm near Johannesburg in 1910, a commune that symbolized Gandhi’s commitment to peaceful resistance and his developing philosophies of nonviolent activism.

Prominent figures such as Nelson Mandela have subsequently recognized and admired Gandhi’s contributions to fighting racism in Africa. His legacy in South Africa has been commemorated post-1994 by recognitions and monuments heralding him as a national hero, symbolizing his significant role in the broader struggles against racial discrimination and apartheid.

Through historical lenses, Gandhi’s journey in South Africa emerges as a tapestry woven with threads of complexities, transformative evolutions, and pivotal contributions towards resisting racial prejudices and promoting civil rights, leaving behind a legacy interlinked with the multifaceted histories of European, Indian, and African communities in the country.

Indian Independence Movement (1915–1947)

In 1915, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi returned to India, answering a patriotic call from Gopal Krishna Gokhale, as communicated through C.F. Andrews. This period marked the beginning of Gandhi’s intensive involvement in India’s fight for independence, bringing him a global stature as a profound nationalist, theorist, and formidable community organizer.

In the formative years of his involvement, Gandhi became affiliated with the Indian National Congress (INC). This monumental partnership was orchestrated primarily through the guidance of Gokhale, a distinguished Congress leader renowned for his tempered and measured approach toward political activism. Gokhale’s strategy was rooted in the principles of moderation and adherence to working within the confines of the existing political structures and systems.

Gandhi’s leadership emerged as transformative, recalibrating the liberal foundations laid by Gokhale within the spectrum of British Whiggish traditions to resonate more profoundly with the Indian context. In asserting his growing prominence and leadership, Gandhi spearheaded the Congress with escalating fervor post-1920. His stewardship reached a pivotal milestone on January 26, 1930, when the INC proclaimed India’s independence, marking an audacious stance in their struggle.

Despite the British authority’s non-recognition of this proclamation, it ushered in an era of negotiations and incremental recognitions, wherein the INC began participating in provincial governments by the late 1930s. However, the political landscape was marked by tumult and evolving complexities. In September 1939, a unilateral declaration of war against Germany by the Viceroy exacerbated tensions, prompting Gandhi and the INC to withdraw their support from the Raj.

The historical juncture of 1942 was marked by Gandhi’s vigorous demand for immediate independence, which was met with stringent British repression, resulting in the incarceration of Gandhi and many INC leaders. Concurrently, diverging pathways were being carved by the Muslim League, who, in contrast to Gandhi’s vision, collaborated with the British and championed the establishment of a distinct Muslim state of Pakistan.

The culmination of these struggles and negotiations came to a head in August 1947, witnessing the partitioning of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan. This partition unfolded under conditions and terms that Gandhi found profoundly disagreeable, marking a significant historical distinction in India’s arduous journey toward independence.

Throughout these pivotal decades (1915–1947), Gandhi’s leadership, principles, and strategies remained at the epicenter of India’s unwavering quest for independence, shaping the historical and political trajectories of the nation’s liberation movements.

Role in World War I

In the crucial phases of World War I, particularly in April 1918, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi found himself amidst a crucial historical conundrum. Invited by the Viceroy to partake in a War Conference held in Delhi, Gandhi embarked on a path distinctly divergent from his prior pacifist positions. In this period, unlike his previous involvements, such as during the Zulu War of 1906 and the initial stages of World War I in 1914—where his contributions were chiefly aligned with non-combatant roles, primarily recruiting volunteers for the Ambulance Corps—Gandhi sought to mobilize Indian individuals for active combat roles.

Through a leaflet disseminated in June 1918, titled “Appeal for Enlistment,” Gandhi elucidated his perspective, emphasizing the necessity for Indians to be adept in martial self-defense and bear arms if needed. He asserted that such preparedness was integral to the broader objectives of national strength and autonomy. However, a nuanced aspect of his position was elucidated in a letter addressed to the Viceroy’s private secretary, where Gandhi clarified his adherence to non-violence, stating unequivocally that he would abstain from harming any individual, irrespective of their alignment as a friend or foe.

The internal complexities and ethical inquiries surrounding Gandhi’s involvement in war recruitment processes surfaced prominently. Critical discussions and deliberations emerged, particularly concerning the unity of Gandhi’s proactive war recruitment strategies with his philosophical underpinning of ‘Ahimsa’ or non-violence. Such reviews underscored substantial discussions, reflecting the coherence and consistency of Gandhi’s principles and practical enactments.

By July 1918, a discerning admission emanated from Gandhi, illuminating the challenges and reluctances encountered in the recruitment endeavors. His written reflections documented a palpable absence of successful recruitments, attributing the hesitations to the prevailing fears of mortality and harm amongst the individuals approached for enlistment in the war efforts.

Gandhi’s involvement in the World War I recruitment spheres delineates a significant facet of historical examinations, delineating the intersections of ethical philosophies and the pragmatic difficulties of political and wartime landscapes. Throughout this period, the dynamism and debates surrounding Gandhi’s roles and stances remained imbued with multifaceted considerations and evolving strategic adaptations.

Champaran Agitations: Nonviolent Protests

1917, a significant chapter in the Indian independence movement unfolded in Bihar, with Mahatma Gandhi at the forefront – the Champaran agitation. This initiative marked Gandhi’s profound intervention in aligning with the local peasantry against the predominant Anglo-Indian plantation proprietors supported by the regional administrative mechanisms. The agrarian communities were subjected to compulsions predominantly geared towards cultivating indigo (Indigofera sp.), a crop integral to producing indigo dye. The essence of the conflict resonated with the imposition of fixed price mechanisms and the declining commercial viability of the indigo crops over the preceding two decades.

This scenario spurred discontent among the peasants, culminating in a collective appeal to Gandhi, who was stationed at his ashram in Ahmedabad then. With a strategic inclination towards nonviolent resistance, Gandhi orchestrated movements that took the administrative echelons by surprise, effectively garnering substantial concessions and alleviations in favor of the aggrieved agrarian communities.

Kheda Agitations: Mobilization and Advocacy

The subsequent year, 1918, witnessed another significant manifestation of resistance, this time in Kheda, which was beleaguered by the adversities of floods and famine. In this context, demands surfaced from the peasantry, advocating for tangible relief from incumbent tax impositions. Gandhi, channeling the ethos of non-cooperation, transitioned his operational base to Nadiad. A synergistic amalgamation of established supporters and newly recruited volunteers marked this phase, with notable personalities such as Vallabhbhai Patel contributing to the momentum.

A multifaceted approach characterized the agitation, with strategies such as signature campaigns gaining prominence. The central ethos resonated with a commitment to non-payment of revenue, underscored by the plausible threats of consequent land confiscations, and this period also witnessed the emergence of social boycotts targeting revenue-associated administrative officials such as mamlatdars and talatdars within the district spheres.

A period extending over five months marked consistent administrative reluctance to accommodate the demands of the agitation. However, a transformative shift occurred towards the end of May 1918, marking significant governmental concessions. Key adaptations included the suspension of revenue collections and facilitating conditions conducive to alleviating the tax burden, persisting until the resolution of the famine adversities. In this nuanced negotiation landscape, figures such as Vallabhbhai Patel emerged as pivotal representatives of the farmer communities, contributing to the advocacy and negotiation processes that led to the release of prisoners and the realization of crucial concessions.

Khilafat Movement: The Interplay of Politics and Communal Harmony

The Khilafat Movement emerged as a formidable political force post-World War I in 1919, positioning Gandhi, then 49, at the intersection of an intricate matrix involving British imperialism and the multifaceted dynamics of Hindu-Muslim relations in India. Gandhi embarked on an endeavor to solicit political cooperation from the Muslim community, an initiative contextualized within the broader resistance against British colonial rule. The strategy included aligning with the Ottomans, who had faced defeat in World War I.

Before this phase, the subcontinent was marred by communal tensions and disturbances, with religiously motivated riots, such as those witnessed between 1917-1918, illustrating the volatile Hindu-Muslim relations. Gandhi had previously manifested support for the British during the War, a stance reflective of both material and human resource contributions, including the mobilization of Indian soldiers for the European war fronts.

Motivations underpinning Gandhi’s supportive gestures were significantly influenced by British assurances of conceding Swaraj (self-government) to the Indian populace post-war. However, the actual reciprocations from the British governance structures were marked by minor reformative gestures, falling short of the anticipations for self-government, leading to Gandhi’s disillusionment.

Responding to the evolving political landscape, Gandhi articulated his commitment to a satyagraha (civil disobedience) approach. The British administrative response was characterized by the introduction of the Rowlatt Act, legislation that imbued the colonial apparatus with extensive powers, including provisions for indefinite detentions devoid of judicial oversight or requiring trials.

The Khilafat Movement period witnessed Gandhi navigating the complexities of Hindu-Muslim collaboration. This collaboration was visualized as a pivotal foundation for facilitating collective political advancements against British rule. The movement, spearheaded by Sunni Muslim leadership such as the Ali brothers, positioned the Turkish Caliph as a symbolic fulcrum of Islamic solidarity and advocacy for Islamic legal frameworks after the Ottoman Empire’s decline in World War I.

Gandhi’s association with the Khilafat Movement cultivated varied outcomes, including enhanced support from the Muslim community. However, it also elicited skepticism and reservations from Hindu luminaries, notably figures such as Rabindranath Tagore, who questioned the broader implications of recognizing the Sunni Islamic Caliph in Turkey.

Intermittent phases of communal harmony and political solidarity against the British characterized the trajectory of the movement. The joint participation of diverse communities in the Rowlatt satyagraha is noteworthy, bolstering Gandhi’s stature and political leadership.

However, the unfolding political scenarios also witnessed strategic divergences and contestations, exemplified by figures like Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Jinnah’s perspectives gravitated towards constitutional negotiations with the British, diverging from Gandhi’s mass agitation strategies. This led to the crystallization of independent support bases and evolving political paradigms, contributing to subsequent historical trajectories, including the demands for separate geopolitical entities, notably West and East Pakistan.

The movement culminated in a decline around 1922, coinciding with the cessation of the non-cooperation activity, marked by Gandhi’s arrest. This period also witnessed the resurgence of communal conflicts, evidencing the fragility of the Hindu-Muslim unity fostered during the movement and signaling the complexities and challenges characterizing the political and communal landscapes of the period.

Non-Cooperation Movement: A Paradigm Shift in India’s Struggle for Independence

The Non-Cooperation Movement was a significant chapter in India’s freedom struggle, orchestrated by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Inspired by the ideologies articulated in his book Hind Swaraj (1909), Gandhi, at the age of 40, proclaimed that the sustenance of British rule in India was facilitated through the cooperation of the Indian populace. Gandhi espoused the philosophy that refusing this cooperation would be instrumental in dismantling British rule, heralding the advent of Swaraj (Indian Independence).

A momentous event unfolded in Madurai on September 21, 1921, when Gandhi adopted the loincloth, symbolizing his solidarity with the impoverished masses of India. A crescendo in political activities also marked this period. In February 1919, Gandhi, employing cable communication, cautioned the Viceroy of India against enacting the Rowlatt Act, pledging the initiation of civil disobedience in retaliation. Undeterred by this warning, the British administration proceeded to pass the legislation.

On March 30, 1919, this scenario culminated in a tumultuous episode where British law officers resorted to firing upon an unarmed assemblage of individuals participating in a satyagraha in Delhi peacefully protesting against the Rowlatt Act. This incident catalyzed agitation, culminating in significant unrest and riots.

A profound testament to Gandhi’s philosophy was exhibited on April 6, 1919, when he implored a gathering to embody the principles of non-violence and peace in expressing their opposition to British policies, notwithstanding the violent tendencies of the opposition. His strategic foresight in advocating the boycott of British goods was a nuanced approach aimed at undermining the economic foundations of British rule.

The historic Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred on April 13, 1919, marking a grim chapter in the struggle, where a multitude, including women and children, faced indiscriminate firing commanded by British Indian Army officer Reginald Dyer. The aftermath of this incident saw Gandhi emphasizing non-violence and love as the cornerstone of the Indian response to British atrocities.

Evolving strategically, Gandhi endeavored to recalibrate the focus towards Swaraj and political independence, catalyzed by the cumulative impact of the ongoing events, notably the massacre and subsequent British responses. By 1921, Gandhi emerged as a pivotal figure in the Indian National Congress, reorganizing the political landscape and intertwining the Non-Cooperation Movement’s objectives with the Khilafat Movement’s aspirations.

Advocating a comprehensive non-cooperation strategy, Gandhi encouraged the boycott of foreign goods, mainly British, promoting instead the adoption of Swadeshi products such as khadi. He encouraged widespread participation in spinning khadi as an expression of support for the independence movement. His broader vision also encompassed the boycott of British institutions, urging a collective renunciation of governmental employment and British honors and titles.

The resonance of the Non-Cooperation Movement traversed various strata of Indian society, manifesting in a groundswell of support and participation. This phase saw Gandhi facing arrest on March 10, 1922, and subsequent imprisonment following a sedition trial. His imprisonment marked a period of factional divisions within the Indian National Congress, signifying variances in strategic approaches towards the British.

Post 1922, the movement encountered challenges, including the dissipation of Hindu-Muslim unity, epitomized by the decline of the Khilafat Movement and the emergence of divergent political factions. Gandhi was released from imprisonment in February 1924, having served a portion of his sentence, signifying the conclusion of this chapter of the freedom struggle.

Salt Satyagraha (Salt March)

Pursuit of swaraj.

Following his premature release from incarceration for political dissent in 1924, Mahatma Gandhi remained resolute in his quest for Swaraj or self-rule. He orchestrated a pivotal resolution in December 1928 at the Calcutta Congress, demanding the British government to endow India with dominion status. Gandhi warned that failure to consent to this demand would usher in a new epoch of non-cooperation, with the ultimate goal of absolute independence for India.

His prior endorsements, such as the support for World War I and the unsuccessful Khilafat Movement—which sought to safeguard the Ottoman Caliphate—did foster some internal criticisms and skepticism from contemporaries like Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh. These individuals questioned his commitment to non-violence and his broader ideological framework.

Manifestation of Resistance: The Unfurling of the Flag and the Ultimatum

The British government’s reluctance and subsequent lack of a favorable response to Gandhi’s demands culminated in symbolic acts of defiance. On December 31, 1929, the Indian flag was proudly unfurled in Lahore, symbolizing a collective yearning for autonomy. Furthermore, Gandhi spearheaded a grand commemoration on January 26, 1930, in Lahore, marking it as India’s Independence Day—a day echoed by many Indian organizations in a symphony of solidarity.

The saga of resistance further unfolded as Gandhi embarked on the Salt Satyagraha in March 1930—a profound manifestation of civil disobedience against the oppressive British salt tax. He ceremoniously dispatched a poignant letter to Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India, on March 2, 1930. The letter, a tapestry of condemnation, depicted British rule as an economic and political scourge that had subjugated and impoverished millions.

The Odyssey of Defiance: March to Dandi

In a defiant odyssey from March 12 to April 6, 1930, Gandhi, accompanied by a cadre of 78 volunteers, embarked on a 388-kilometer march from Ahmedabad to Dandi, Gujarat. This monumental march, which spanned 25 days and covered 240 miles, was punctuated by Gandhi’s interactions with colossal crowds, wherein he sowed the seeds of resistance and non-cooperation.

Gandhi’s journey culminated in a symbolic act of making salt, thereby transgressing the draconian salt laws imposed by the British. The aftermath saw his internment on May 5, 1930, invoking regulations established in 1827.

The Echo of Non-violence: The Dharasana Satyagraha

Even in Gandhi’s absence, the flame of resistance continued to blaze. On May 21, 1930, protestors assembled at the Dharasana salt works. A hallowed silence marked the scene as the protestors, armed with the armor of non-violence, advanced towards the enclosure. They were met with a storm of violence as British officials unleashed a torrent of brutality, leaving many battered and bruised.

This spectacle of peaceful protest juxtaposed against the brutality of authority marked a pivotal moment in the struggle, capturing global attention and shaking the foundations of British dominion.

Women in the Satyagraha: An Unfurling Feminine Force

Gandhi’s call for resistance also echoed within the corridors of feminine solidarity. Despite initial reservations and conditional participation based on familial consent and logistical considerations, women surged forward in defiance. Their participation, marked by courage and conviction, carved spaces of protest and resistance within India’s broader spectrum of public life.

The fabric of the Satyagraha was thus woven with threads of diverse participation, embodying a collective spirit of resistance against the yoke of imperial oppression. This tapestry of non-cooperation and defiance underscored the Indian struggle, leaving an indelible mark on the historical chronicle of India’s journey to independence.

The Embodiment of a Folk Hero

Cultural resonance in andhra pradesh.

In the intricate tapestry of India’s struggle for independence, Mahatma Gandhi emerged as a seminal figure, weaving threads of cultural and mythological relevance into the fabric of political activism. In the 1920s, the Indian National Congress ingeniously harnessed the vernacular potency of Telugu language plays in Andhra Pradesh, infusing them with narratives intertwined with Indian mythology and legends, which were then seamlessly interlaced with Gandhi’s transformative ideologies. Such creative endeavors portrayed Gandhi as a divine messenger, akin to revered nationalist leaders and saints from India’s illustrious past. This portrayal resonated profoundly with the peasants, who were deeply entrenched in the rich soils of traditional Hindu culture. Consequently, Gandhi metamorphosed into a folk hero, an ethereal figure bathed in the aura of sacrality, particularly in the Telugu-speaking villages.

The Philosophical Foundations: Soul Force vs. Brute Force

The global appeal of Gandhi’s philosophies was pivotal in sculpting his widespread following. According to scholars like Dennis Dalton, Gandhi’s criticisms of Western civilization, which he depicted as marinated in “brute force and immorality,” instead of his portrayal of Indian civilization as a beacon of “soul force and morality,” struck a powerful chord. These profound ideas, curated with notions of vanquishing hate with the weaponry of love, found expression in his pamphlets, dating back to the 1890s in South Africa. Here, amidst the Indian indentured workers, Gandhi’s ideologies found fertile ground, resulting in a blooming popularity.

Geographic Overtures: Connecting Rural India

The topographic canvas of Gandhi’s activism was vast and vividly rural. His journeys, an odyssey through the diverse rural landscapes of the Indian subcontinent, were marked by a strategic utilization of cultural symbols and terminologies. Employing phrases imbued with cultural and religious resonance, such as Rama-rajya from the epic Ramayana, and evoking paradigmatic icons like Prahlada, Gandhi enriched his concepts of Swaraj and Satyagraha with a potent cultural ethos. These ideological seeds, though seemingly esoteric beyond the Indian landscapes, found deep roots within the native soils of Indian cultural and historical values.

A Confluence of Ideas and Tradition

Gandhi’s inaugural visit to Odisha on an unrecorded date in 1921 was marked by a significant congregation alongside the Kathajodi River, symbolizing his outreach and deep connections with diverse regional identities. Through the harmonization of cultural symbols, traditional ethos, and innovative political philosophies, Gandhi became not just a political leader but a reflection of the people’s values and aspirations, metamorphosing into an embodiment of a collective conscience and a resonating folk hero in the annals of Indian history.

Negotiations and Opposition

The gandhi-irwin pact.

In a pivotal negotiation moment in India’s freedom struggle, the British government, represented by Lord Irwin, engaged in talks with Mahatma Gandhi. The consequential Gandhi-Irwin Pact was formalized in March 1931. A cornerstone of this agreement was the British government’s commitment to release all incarcerated political activists. This decision was counterbalanced by Gandhi’s pledge to suspend the civil disobedience movement temporarily.

Following the pact, Gandhi, embodying the sole representation of the Indian National Congress, was extended an invitation to the Round Table Conference in London. This gathering, however, did not meet the expectations of the Indian nationalists. Rather than pivoting towards discussions on the transfer of power and the realization of India’s independence, the conference seemed to be nestled in deliberations focused on the Indian princes and minorities.

Transition in British Stance

Following Lord Irwin, his successor, Lord Willingdon, espoused a rigorous position, acting with renewed vigor against the aspirations of an independent India. This phase saw a strategic tightening of control over the nationalist movements, marked by repressive measures aimed at subduing the voices clamoring for freedom. Gandhi, symbolic of the freedom struggle, was trapped in the web of arrest again as the authorities sought to diminish his influence by severing his connections with the masses.

Churchill’s Perspective

Winston Churchill, who would later ascend as the Prime Minister of Britain, emerged as a vociferous critic of Gandhi and his vision for India’s future. Positioned outside the corridors of power during this period, Churchill articulated his criticisms with striking vigor and candidness. His speeches reverberated with a distinctive aversion towards Gandhi, whom he dismissed as a “seditious Middle Temple lawyer,” metamorphosing into a fakir. Churchill’s rhetoric, infused with scathing comments, portrayed Gandhi as a nefarious figure, orchestrating movements with “seditious aims” and labeled him as a “Hindu Mussolini.”

Churchill’s adversarial stance against Gandhi was not confined to the British Isles but found resonance in international arenas, including the European and American press. His efforts to politically isolate Gandhi were met with a spectrum of responses. While his critiques found sympathetic ears, they also inadvertently bolstered support for Gandhi, creating a nuanced global perspective on the Indian freedom struggle.

The unfolding political sagas of negotiations, marked by the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, and opposition, epitomized by Churchill’s critiques, painted a complex canvas of the struggle for India’s independence. Each stroke, whether diplomatic engagements or the enthusiasm of opposition, shaped the contours of this historical journey toward freedom.

Round Table Conferences: 1931-1932

Deliberations and disagreements.

Between 1931 and 1932, pivotal discussions unfolded at the Round Table Conferences, engaging key figures such as Mahatma Gandhi in dialogues with the British government. Gandhi, aged around 62 at that time, carried the mantle of aspirations for constitutional reforms, visualizing them as foundational steps towards the cessation of British colonial rule and the inception of Indian self-governance.

The British delegates, however, navigated the discussions with a vision anchored in retaining the colonial grip over the Indian subcontinent. Their proposition involved constitutional refinements modeled after the British Dominion, advocating for establishing separate electorates delineated by religious and societal stratification.

Diverging visions surfaced as the British questioned the Indian National Congress and Gandhi’s capacity to be the comprehensive voice of India’s multifaceted society. In a strategic maneuver, they incorporated diverse religious leaders, including representatives from Muslim and Sikh communities, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the spokesperson for the Dalits or the “untouchables,” encouraging a discourse enriched by diverse societal and religious nuances.

Steadfast in his principles, Gandhi countered proposals advocating constitutional provisions delineated by communal identities. He envisaged the potential repercussions of such provisions as detrimental, fostering divisions and hindering the unifying spirit essential for a collective struggle against colonial rule.

Residing Amongst the Common People

An illustrative episode during these deliberations was Gandhi’s solitary voyage outside India between 1914 and his demise in 1948. Opting against the allure of luxurious accommodations in London’s West End, Gandhi chose proximity to the working-class populace residing in East End’s Kingsley Hall. This decision mirrored his intrinsic alignment with the grassroots, reflecting his life and struggles in India.

Protests and The Poona Pact

After his return to India, after the Second Round Table Conference, Gandhi spearheaded a renewed wave of Satyagraha. Following his arrest, his unwavering spirit was confined within the walls of Yerwada Jail, Pune.

A significant constitutional development during his incarceration was the British government’s enactment of legislation ushering in separate electorates for the “untouchables,” famously termed the Communal Award. Propelled by a spirit of protest, Gandhi embraced a fast-unto-death in prison, catalyzing a potent wave of public outcry. This led to consultative resolutions involving Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, resulting in the transformative Poona Pact, which replaced the initial Communal Award.

The Round Table Conferences emerged as crucibles of intense deliberations and diverging visions, navigating the turbulent terrains of constitutional reforms amidst India’s freedom struggle. Key protagonists such as Gandhi, embodying the spirit of nonviolent resistance, navigated these discussions with a vision of a united struggle against colonial rule, leading to significant historical milestones like the Poona Pact.

The Dynamics of Congress Politics: 1934-1938

Gandhi’s resignation and its implications.

In a strategic repositioning, Mahatma Gandhi resigned from the membership of the Indian National Congress in 1934. This was not a manifestation of dissent against the party’s stances. Instead, Gandhi’s resignation was imbued with a vision of revitalizing the party’s internal dynamics. He envisioned that his absence would dismantle the overshadowing influence of his immense popularity, facilitating a more vibrant and pluralistic participation from diverse factions within the Congress. These factions encapsulated a spectrum of ideological orientations, including communists, socialists, trade unionists, students, religious conservatives, and proponents of pro-business philosophies.

Gandhi also sought to strategically preclude the potential utilization of his leadership status for propagandist objectives by the Raj. This was emblematic of his nuanced approach to ensuring that his leadership did not inadvertently become a conduit for the Raj’s propaganda machinery.

Resurgence in Active Politics

Gandhi’s re-engagement with active politics unfurled in 1936, synchronized with Jawaharlal Nehru’s ascendancy to the Congress presidency and the significant Lucknow session of the Congress. Gandhi’s focus remained unwaveringly anchored on the imperative of attaining independence, prioritizing it over deliberations speculating on India’s prospective future post-independence.

In a paradigm of ideological diversities, Gandhi did not impose constraints on Congress to adopt socialism as an aspirational objective. However, the political landscape was characterized by emergent contentions, most notably with Subhas Chandra Bose. Bose, elected as the president of the Congress in 1938, epitomized a contrasting ideological orientation, reflecting skepticism towards nonviolence as a fundamental instrument of protest.

Ideological Clashes and Resignations

An ideological clash crescendoed between Gandhi and Bose, culminating in the electoral realm, with Bose securing a second presidential term despite Gandhi’s endorsement of Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya. In reflecting on the significance of the election, Gandhi interpreted Sitaramayya’s defeat as a personal loss. This period witnessed a tumultuous phase of All-India leaders resigning from a collective dissent against Bose’s deviation from the foundational Gandhian principles. These resignations underscored the profound ideological variances within the Congress, delineating the contours of a complex and dynamic political landscape during this historical juncture.

The period between 1934 and 1938 was emblematic of the multifaceted dynamics and ideological diversities within the Indian National Congress. Gandhi’s strategies, resignations, and ideological disagreements were reflective of a vibrant yet tumultuous phase in the evolution of the Congress and the broader contours of India’s freedom struggle.

World War II and the Evolution of the Quit India Movement

Initial resistance and opposition.

During the crucible of World War II, Mahatma Gandhi emerged as a staunch opponent of extending any form of support to the British war endeavor. Anchoring his resistance was a nuanced political rationale; Gandhi firmly believed that it was incongruous for India to contribute to a war that was ostensibly waged for the preservation of democratic freedoms while such freedoms remained elusive within India itself. This position catalyzed a spectrum of reactions, leading to a robust movement against Indian participation in the war.

The Pinnacle of Non-Cooperation: The Quit India Movement

In a historical address delivered in Bombay in August 1942, Gandhi underscored the urgency of British exit from India, inaugurating the Quit India Movement. This clarion call for liberation resonated with a spectrum of responses. While it orchestrated a symphony of collective action against British imperialism, it also faced opposition from various factions, notably leading to the mass incarceration of Congress leaders and the tragic loss of over 1,000 Indian lives in the tumult of the movement.

Gandhi’s advocacy was articulated with a profound philosophical coherence. He urged the Indian populace to abstain from initiating violence against the British, emphasizing a readiness to endure suffering and embrace martyrdom if confronted with violence from the British regime.

Arrest and Imprisonment

A profound challenge beset the movement with Gandhi’s arrest and subsequent two-year imprisonment in the Aga Khan Palace in Pune. This period was marked by deep personal losses for Gandhi, including the demise of his secretary, Mahadev Desai, and his wife, Kasturba Gandhi, on February 22, 1944. Amidst these tribulations, Gandhi navigated the complexities of political communication, including interactions with British journalists such as Stuart Gelder, leading to various nuances and controversies in representing Gandhi’s positions.

Political Transitions and Dialogues

Gandhi’s release on May 6, 1944, marked his reentry into a dynamically transformed political landscape. A significant feature of this transformation was the ascendency of the Muslim League and the intensification of dialogues around the prospect of partition. Protracted discussions, notably with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, unfolded against this backdrop, with Gandhi advocating for a vision of a united and pluralistic India, encompassing the diversity of its religious communities.

The Aftermath of the War

The terminal phase of World War II heralded shifts in the political configurations, with indications of the impending transfer of power into Indian hands becoming increasingly discernible. Gandhi’s leadership navigated these complexities, eventually leading to the cessation of the movement and the release of approximately 100,000 political prisoners. This epoch in history thus marked a confluence of resistance, negotiation, and the relentless quest for India’s freedom, reflecting the multifaceted dynamics of the Quit India Movement in the broader canvas of the struggle for Indian independence.

Partition and Independence: Gandhi’s Vision and Struggles

Unfolding dialogues and disagreements.

During the epoch of India’s imminent independence, Mahatma Gandhi steadfastly opposed the partitioning of the Indian subcontinent along religious demarcations. A pivotal moment unfolded in September 1944, when Gandhi engaged in dialogues with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, advocating for unity amidst the brewing sectarian divisions. Championing a strategy of cooperation and plebiscite, Gandhi proposed a provisional government comprising the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League, envisioning a subsequent resolution of the partition question through democratic consultations in Muslim-majority districts.

The Onset of Direct Action Day: August 16, 1946

A significant historical juncture was marked by Direct Action Day on August 16, 1946. Championed by Jinnah, this day epitomized the intensification of demands for a partitioned Indian subcontinent. In the historical fabric of these developments, the city of Calcutta became an epicenter of communal conflagrations, witnessing significant upheavals, loss of life, and the unsettling turmoil of communal violence. The enforcement machinery exhibited a considerable lack of intervention, with historical accounts noting the absence of policing mechanisms in managing and mitigating conflict escalations during this period.

Negotiations, Criticisms, and British Perspectives

The political atmosphere was imbued with intricate negotiations and various perspectives, including those of Archibald Wavell, the Viceroy and Governor-General of British India, until February 1947. The interplay of dialogues, criticisms, and apprehensions marked this phase. Wavell’s critiques articulated a portrayal of Gandhi’s intentions and strategies, emphasizing a perception of Gandhi as primarily driven by objectives oriented towards eliminating British influence and establishing a predominantly Hindu governance structure.

The Contours of Partition and Independence

Historical narrations emphasize that tumultuous disagreements, intense violence, and the massive displacement of populations across the reconfigured borders of India and Pakistan marked the unfolding of partition. The magnitude of the humanitarian crisis was enormous, with the migration of 10 to 12 million individuals and significant loss of life keeping the landscapes of partition.

August 15, 1947: A Day of Solemn Reflection

The historic day of India’s independence on August 15, 1947, was marked by Gandhi’s deep reflections, acts of fasting, and appeals for peace amidst the pervasive atmosphere of communal unrest. Gandhi’s presence in Calcutta symbolized a beacon of peace advocacy, channeling efforts towards mitigating the religious violence that had engulfed various regions.

Gandhi’s journeys through the tumultuous pathways of partition and independence embodied a persistent vision for unity, democratic consultations, and peace. His leadership navigated the complexities of negotiations, critiques, and the profound challenges of communal violence, reflecting a multifaceted engagement with the historical transformations of his times.

A historical tragedy unfolded on January 30, 1948, as the sun set, marking an unforgettable loss. At 5:17 pm, within the serene surroundings of the Birla House garden (now Gandhi Smriti), Mahatma Gandhi, accompanied by his grandnieces, was ambushed by an act of violent extremism. Nathuram Godse, propelled by a radical Hindu nationalist ideology, unleashed three bullets into Gandhi’s chest, culminating in the tragic demise of a global apostle of peace and non-violence.

After the act of assassination, a cloud of sorrow and disbelief permeated the national consciousness. The solemn announcements and expressions of grief were epitomized by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s poignant address to the nation, communicating the enormity of the loss and the ensuing darkness experienced by millions.

The Assassination

In the aftermath of the tragic event, an immediate process of legal scrutiny and justice was initiated. Prominent among the accused were individuals such as Nathuram Vinayak Godse and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, whose affiliations were traced to radical Hindu nationalist organizations. The judiciary process commenced on May 27, 1948, under the vigilance of Justice Atma Charan. The legal proceedings were meticulous, involving comprehensive testimonies and evidentiary presentations, culminating on February 10, 1949.

Verdicts and Sentencing

The outcome of the judicial proceedings led to pronounced verdicts, with diverse sentencing outcomes for the accused individuals. Godse and Narayan Apte faced the gravest consequences, receiving capital punishment sentences. Conversely, acquittals and varying degrees of imprisonment were apportioned to other individuals involved in the conspiracy.

The Funeral

An extraordinary display of national and global mourning marked Gandhi’s mortal departure. The funeral procession, a solemn journey spanning five miles, witnessed the participation of over a million individuals, reflecting the profound respect and reverence towards Gandhi’s legacy. Notably, the global diaspora, including communities within London, converged in expressions of grief and remembrance, reflecting the universal impact of Gandhi’s life and principles.

The physical departure of Mahatma Gandhi was marked with a solemn and significant cremation ceremony on January 31, 1948, at Rajghat, New Delhi. The event became a confluence of grief and reverence, attended by distinguished national leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Louis and Edwina Mountbatten, Maulana Azad, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, and Sarojini Naidu. Devdas Gandhi, Gandhi’s son, had the poignant honor of lighting the funeral pyre, signifying a profoundly personal and national farewell.

Distribution and Immersion of Ashes

Following Hindu traditions, the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were ceremoniously distributed into various urns, which found their resting places across diverse geographies of India and the world. A significant portion of his ashes were immersed at the Sangam in Allahabad on February 12, 1948. Intriguingly, some parts of his ashes embarked on global journeys, finding resting places near the Nile River in Uganda, symbolized with a memorial plaque, and as far away as the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Los Angeles. Various other urns found their sanctified spaces in places significant to Gandhi’s life and struggle, including Pune and Girgaum Chowpatty, where specific immersion ceremonies were conducted in subsequent years, the last of which was conducted on January 30, 2008.

Memorials: Preserving the Legacy

The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi is preserved and commemorated through various memorials established in places intertwined with his life’s journey and sacrifices. Gandhi Smriti, the former Birla House, stands as a poignant tribute to his final moments, preserving the historical significance of his assassination. Raj Ghat, situated near the Yamuna River in New Delhi, has become an enduring place of remembrance, symbolizing the nation’s collective homage. The memorial at Raj Ghat is marked by a simple yet profound black marble platform engraved with the words “Hē Rāma” (हे ! राम), believed to be Gandhi’s last utterances, perpetuating the spiritual essence of his life’s philosophy and eternal departure.

Principles, Practices, and Beliefs

Examination and interpretation.

The principles, practices, and beliefs of Mahatma Gandhi have been the focal point of extensive analysis and interpretation by scholars and political analysts globally. Gandhi’s life, articulated through his profound statements and letters, has woven a tapestry of philosophical insights deeply influenced by cultural, historical, and personal paradigms.

Truth and Satyagraha: Ethical Cornerstones

Central to Gandhi’s philosophy was the pursuit of truth (Satya), which he meticulously cultivated throughout his life. This unwavering commitment evolved into the nonviolent resistance movement known as Satyagraha. This pivotal concept was first politically manifested in September 1920, during a session of the Indian Congress, where Gandhi meticulously articulated the “Resolution on Non-cooperation.”

The concept of Satyagraha reverberated profoundly within the cultural and spiritual ethos of the Indian populace, elevating Gandhi’s stature to that of a Mahatma or a “Great Soul.” Gandhi’s philosophical underpinnings were firmly rooted in ancient Indian traditions, drawing inspiration from Vedantic principles of self-realization, non-violence (ahimsa), and universal love. His convictions were further enriched by elements from Jainism and Buddhism, synthesizing a political philosophy that prioritized moral integrity and ethical action.

Spiritual Synthesis: The Convergence of Divine and Ethical Realms

Gandhi’s spiritual articulation evolved, reflecting a convergence of divine and ethical realms. His philosophical journey culminated in the realization that “Truth is God,” positioning truth (Satya) as the ultimate divine reality. This alignment resonated with the Advaita Vedanta tradition, identifying a non-dual universal essence pervading all life and existence.

Satyagraha: A Nonviolent Crusade

Satyagraha emerged as a universal force, embodying passive resistance and a determined non-cooperation towards oppression. It was characterized by a soul force seeking to eliminate antagonisms, aiming to purify and transform the oppressor spiritually. This ethical architecture, championed by Gandhi, advocated moral ascendance through the endurance of suffering, heralding the progression of individual and societal ethos.

While universally inclusive, Satyagraha’s philosophy also encountered diverging perspectives and criticisms from various quarters. Notably, there were objections from prominent personalities, such as Muslim leaders like Jinnah and socio-political reformers like Ambedkar, who presented alternative viewpoints based on varying political, religious, and social considerations.

Nonviolence: A Philosophical Imperative

While nonviolence (ahimsa) became synonymous with Gandhi’s philosophy, its application was deeply nuanced. While valuing nonviolence as an exemplary virtue, Gandhi also demonstrated a readiness to adopt a stance of valor over submission in the face of dishonor or adversity. This nuanced stance on non-violence was not merely a strategic choice but a reflection of Gandhi’s broader philosophical and ethical convictions.

Historical and Global Resonance

Gandhi’s ideological contributions have left an indelible mark on historical and global landscapes, guiding movements and inspiring leaders across diverse temporal and geographical realms. His teachings, underscored by nonviolence and moral righteousness principles, continue to resonate as guiding beacons in the global discourse on justice, ethics, and humanitarianism.

Legacy and Influence

Mahatma Gandhi holds a preeminent position as a stalwart who led the Indian independence movement against British rule, earning himself a significant place in the annals of modern Indian history. Esteemed American historian Stanley Wolpert lauded Gandhi as “India’s greatest revolutionary nationalist leader,” equating his historical magnitude to that of the Buddha.

Gandhi’s honorific title, “Mahatma,” derived from the Sanskrit words ‘maha’ (Great) and ‘atma’ (Soul), became synonymous with his identity. It was publicly conferred upon him in a farewell meeting at Town Hall, Durban, in July 1914. The esteemed poet Rabindranath Tagore is credited with bestowing this title on him by 1915.

His influence permeates the global landscape, with numerous streets, roads, and localities named in his honor, predominantly in India. Landmarks such as M.G. Road in various Indian cities, Gandhi Market in Mumbai, and Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat—his birth state, celebrate his enduring legacy. His impact was further commemorated through the issuance of stamps by over 150 countries as of 2008. Remarkably, in October 2019, approximately 87 countries, including Russia, Iran, and Turkey, released commemorative stamps marking the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi.

His legacy shaped global history and inspired leaders and movements worldwide. Icons of the civil rights movement in the United States, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and James Lawson, cultivated their philosophies of non-violence from Gandhi’s teachings. Nelson Mandela , the torchbearer against apartheid in South Africa, and other global figures like Steve Biko and Václav Havel also drew profound inspiration from Gandhi’s principles of peaceful resistance.

Prominent personalities like physicist Albert Einstein and political activist Farah Omar from Somaliland were captivated by his philosophy. Notable European philosopher Romain Rolland penned a book titled Mahatma Gandhi in 1924, delineating his admiration and respect for Gandhi’s ideals. The interconnected spheres of environmental and technological philosophies have recently rejuvenated interest in Gandhi’s perspectives in the wake of climate change debates.

Historical landmarks have also immortalized Gandhi’s legacy. For instance, in September 2020, the Florian asteroid 120461 was named in his honor. Subsequent memorials, such as the statues erected in Astana in October 2022 and at the United Nations headquarters in New York on December 15, 2022, underscore his indelible mark on history and global peace movements.

Internationally renowned personalities, ranging from British musician John Lennon to former U.S. President Barack Obama , have voiced their reverence for Gandhi’s ideologies. Obama notably proclaimed Gandhi as a significant source of inspiration in a public interaction in September 2009.

In summary, Mahatma Gandhi’s life, philosophies, and strategies for peaceful resistance remain luminous beacons of inspiration and have been instrumental in sculpting the moral and ethical frameworks of various global leaders and movements. His legacy, interwoven with the principles of non-violence and moral integrity, continues reverberating through contemporary discourses on justice, peace, and humanitarianism.

Mahatma Gandhi’s biography is a remarkable symphony of his beliefs, religion, and unyielding movements for justice and freedom. His enduring legacy, a testament to the power of peaceful resistance, continues to guide and inspire people worldwide toward hope, inspiration, and moral victory.

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• Mahatma Gandhi Biography and Political Career

Biography of Mahatma Gandhi (Father of Nation)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , more popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi . His birth place was in the small city of Porbandar in Gujarat (October 2, 1869 - January 30, 1948). Mahatma Gandhi's father's name was Karamchand Gandhi, and his mother's name was Putlibai Gandhi. He was a politician, social activist, Indian lawyer, and writer who became the prominent Leader of the nationwide surge movement against the British rule of India. He came to be known as the Father of The Nation. October 2, 2023, marks Gandhi Ji’s 154th birth anniversary , celebrated worldwide as International Day of Non-Violence, and Gandhi Jayanti in India.

Gandhi Ji was a living embodiment of non-violent protests (Satyagraha) to achieve independence from the British Empire's clutches and thereby achieve political and social progress. Gandhi Ji is considered ‘The Great Soul’ or ‘ The Mahatma ’ in the eyes of millions of his followers worldwide. His fame spread throughout the world during his lifetime and only increased after his demise. Mahatma Gandhi , thus, is the most renowned person on earth.

Education of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi's education was a major factor in his development into one of the finest persons in history. Although he attended a primary school in Porbandar and received awards and scholarships there, his approach to his education was ordinary. Gandhi joined Samaldas College in Bhavnagar after passing his matriculation exams at the University of Bombay in 1887.

Gandhiji's father insisted he become a lawyer even though he intended to be a docto. During those days, England was the centre of knowledge, and he had to leave Smaladas College to pursue his father's desire. He was adamant about travelling to England despite his mother's objections and his limited financial resources.

Finally, he left for England in September 1888, where he joined Inner Temple, one of the four London Law Schools. In 1890, he also took the matriculation exam at the University of London.

When he was in London, he took his studies seriously and joined a public speaking practice group. This helped him get over his nervousness so he could practise law. Gandhi had always been passionate about assisting impoverished and marginalised people.

Mahatma Gandhi During His Youth

Gandhi was the youngest child of his father's fourth wife. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the dewan Chief Minister of Porbandar, the then capital of a small municipality in western India (now Gujarat state) under the British constituency.

Gandhi's mother, Putlibai, was a pious religious woman.Mohandas grew up in Vaishnavism, a practice followed by the worship of the Hindu god Vishnu, along with a strong presence of Jainism, which has a strong sense of non-violence.Therefore, he took up the practice of Ahimsa (non-violence towards all living beings), fasting for self-purification, vegetarianism, and mutual tolerance between the sanctions of various castes and colours.

His adolescence was probably no stormier than most children of his age and class. Not until the age of 18 had Gandhi read a single newspaper. Neither as a budding barrister in India nor as a student in England nor had he shown much interest in politics. Indeed, he was overwhelmed by terrifying stage fright each time he stood up to read a speech at a social gathering or to defend a client in court.

In London, Gandhiji's vegetarianism missionary was a noteworthy occurrence. He became a member of the executive committee in joined the London Vegetarian Society. He also participated in several conferences and published papers in its journal. Gandhi met prominent Socialists, Fabians, and Theosophists like Edward Carpenter, George Bernard Shaw, and Annie Besant while dining at vegetarian restaurants in England.

Political Career of Mahatma Gandhi

When we talk about Mahatma Gandhi’s political career, in July 1894, when he was barely 25, he blossomed overnight into a proficient campaigner . He drafted several petitions to the British government and the Natal Legislature signed by hundreds of his compatriots. He could not prevent the passage of the bill but succeeded in drawing the attention of the public and the press in Natal, India, and England to the Natal Indian's problems.

He still was persuaded to settle down in Durban to practice law and thus organised the Indian community. The Natal Indian Congress was founded in 1894, and he became the unwearying secretary. He infused a solidarity spirit in the heterogeneous Indian community through that standard political organisation. He gave ample statements to the Government, Legislature, and media regarding Indian Grievances.

Finally, he got exposed to the discrimination based on his colour and race, which was pre-dominant against the Indian subjects of Queen Victoria in one of her colonies, South Africa.

Mahatma Gandhi spent almost 21 years in South Africa. But during that time, there was a lot of discrimination because of skin colour. Even on the train, he could not sit with white European people. But he refused to do so, got beaten up, and had to sit on the floor. So he decided to fight against these injustices, and finally succeeded after a lot of struggle.

It was proof of his success as a publicist that such vital newspapers as The Statesman, Englishman of Calcutta (now Kolkata) and The Times of London editorially commented on the Natal Indians' grievances.

In 1896, Gandhi returned to India to fetch his wife, Kasturba (or Kasturbai), their two oldest children, and amass support for the Indians overseas. He met the prominent leaders and persuaded them to address the public meetings in the centre of the country's principal cities.

Unfortunately for him, some of his activities reached Natal and provoked its European population. Joseph Chamberlain, the colonial secretary in the British Cabinet, urged Natal's government to bring the guilty men to proper jurisdiction, but Gandhi refused to prosecute his assailants. He said he believed the court of law would not be used to satisfy someone's vendetta.

Political Teacher of Mahatma Gandhi

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was one of the prominent political teachers and mentors of Mahatma Gandhi. Gokhale, a renowned Indian nationalist leader, played a significant role in shaping Gandhi's political ideology and approach to leadership. He emphasized the importance of nonviolence, constitutional methods, and constructive work in achieving social and political change. Gandhi referred to Gokhale as his political guru and credited him with influencing many of his principles and strategies in the Indian freedom struggle. Gokhale's teachings and guidance had a profound impact on Gandhi's development as a leader and advocate for India's independence.

Death of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi's death was a tragic event and brought clouds of sorrow to millions of people. On the 29th of January, a man named Nathuram Godse came to Delhi with an automatic pistol. About 5 pm in the afternoon of the next day, he went to the Gardens of Birla house, and suddenly, a man from the crowd came out and bowed before him.

Then Godse fired three bullets at his chest and stomach, who was Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was in such a posture that he to the ground. During his death, he uttered: “Ram! Ram!” Although someone could have called the doctor in this critical situation during that time, no one thought of that, and Gandhiji died within half an hour.

How Shaheed Day is Celebrated at Gandhiji’s Samadhi (Raj Ghat)?

As Gandhiji died on January 30, the government of India declared this day as ‘Shaheed Diwas’.

On this day, the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, and the Defence Minister every year gather at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at the Raj Ghat memorial in Delhi to pay tribute to Indian martyrs and Mahatma Gandhi, followed by a two-minute silence.

On this day, many schools host events where students perform plays and sing patriotic songs. Martyrs' Day is also observed on March 23 to honour the lives and sacrifices of Sukhdev Thapar, Shivaram Rajguru, and Bhagat Singh.

Gandhi believed it was his duty to defend India's rights. Mahatma Gandhi had a significant role in attaining India's independence from the British. He had an impact on many individuals and locations outside India. Gandhi also influenced Martin Luther King, and as a result, African-Americans now have equal rights. Peacefully winning India's independence, he altered the course of history worldwide.

FAQs on Mahatma Gandhi Biography and Political Career

1. What was people's reaction after Nathuram Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi?

When Nathuram Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi, people shouted to kill Nathuram. After killing Mahatma Gandhi, Nathuram Godse tried to kill himself but could not do so since the police seized his weapons and took him to jail. After that, Gandhiji's body was laid in the garden with a white cloth covered on his face. All the lights were turned off in honour of him. Then on the radio, honourable Prime minister Pandit Nehru Ji declared sadly that the Nation's Father was no more.

2. How vegetarianism impacted Mahatma Gandhi’s time in London?

During the three years he spent in England, he was in a great dilemma with personal and moral issues rather than academic ambitions.

The sudden transition from Porbandar's half-rural atmosphere to London's cosmopolitan life was not an easy task for him. And he struggled powerfully and painfully to adapt himself to Western food, dress, and etiquette, and he felt awkward.

His vegetarianism became a continual source of embarrassment and was like a curse to him; his friends warned him that it would disrupt his studies, health, and well-being. Fortunately, he came across a vegetarian restaurant and a book providing a well-defined defence of vegetarianism.

His missionary zeal for vegetarianism helped draw the pitifully shy youth out of his shell and gave him a new and robust personality. He also became a member of the London Vegetarian Society executive committee, contributing articles to its journal and attending conferences.

3. Who was the first person to write a biography of Mahatma Gandhi (Father of The Nation)?

Christian missionary Joseph Doke had written the first biography of Bapu. The best part is that Gandhiji had still not acquired the status of Mahatma when this biography was written.

4. Who was Gandhiji’s favorite writer?

Gandhiji’s favorite writer was Leo Tolstoy.

5. What is Mahatma Gandhi’s date of birth?

Mahatma Gandhi's date of birth is October 2, 1869. We celebrate every year on October 2nd as Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti.

6. Which are the famous Mahatma Gandhi books?

Mahatma Gandhi authored several influential books and writings that have left a lasting impact on the world. Some of his famous books include:

Autobiography

Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule

Satyagraha in South Africa

Young India

The Essential Gandhi

These books reflect Gandhi's deep commitment to nonviolence, truth, and social justice, making them essential reads for those interested in his life and principles.

Mahatma Gandhi Biography

Birthday: October 2 , 1869 ( Libra )

Born In: Porbandar, India

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian lawyer who became the primary leader of India's independence movement. Better known as Mahatma Gandhi, he not only led India to independence from British rule but also inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world in several other countries. Best remembered for his employment of nonviolent means of civil disobedience, he led Indians in the Dandi Salt March to protest against the British-imposed salt tax and launched the Quit India Movement, a mass protest demanding "an orderly British withdrawal" from India. Born into a religious family in British India, he was raised by parents who emphasized religious tolerance, simplicity, and strong moral values. As a young man, he studied law in England and later started working in South Africa. There he witnessed rampant acts of racism and discrimination which angered him greatly. He spent over two decades in South Africa over the period during which he developed a strong sense of social justice and led several social campaigns. Upon his return to India, he became active in the Indian Independence Movement, ultimately leading his motherland to independence from British rule. He was also a social activist who campaigned for women’s rights, religious tolerance, and reduction of poverty.

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Also Known As: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Died At Age: 78

Spouse/Ex-: Kasturba Gandhi

father: Karamchand Gandhi

mother: Putlibai Gandhi

children: Devdas Gandhi, Harilal Gandhi , Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi

Born Country: India

Revolutionaries Political Leaders

Died on: January 30 , 1948

place of death: New Delhi, India

Notable Alumni: Samaldas Arts College, Bhavnagar, Inner Temple, London

Cause of Death: Assassination

epitaphs: Hey Ram

education: University College London, Samaldas Arts College, Bhavnagar, Inner Temple, London

awards: 1930 - Man of the Year by Time magazine

You wanted to know

What were mahatma gandhi's major contributions to india's independence movement.

Mahatma Gandhi played a significant role in leading India to independence from British colonial rule through strategies such as nonviolent civil disobedience and peaceful protests.

How did Mahatma Gandhi influence the civil rights movement in the United States?

Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent resistance inspired civil rights leaders in the United States, such as Martin Luther King Jr., who adopted similar tactics in their fight against racial discrimination.

What is the significance of Mahatma Gandhi's Salt March?

The Salt March, led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930, was a symbolic act of civil disobedience against British salt monopoly in India, highlighting the unjust colonial laws and uniting people in the independence movement.

How did Mahatma Gandhi's principles of nonviolence influence global leaders and movements?

Mahatma Gandhi's principles of nonviolence and civil disobedience have inspired various leaders and movements worldwide, including the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.

What role did Mahatma Gandhi play in promoting religious harmony and unity in India?

Mahatma Gandhi advocated for religious tolerance and unity among different communities in India, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and understanding to maintain peace and harmony.

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Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 to a Hindu Modh Baniya family in Porbandar, then part of Kathiawar Agency, in the British Indian Empire. His father Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi worked as the diwan (chief minister) of Porbandar state. His mother Putlibai was Karamchand’s fourth wife. Mohandas had two elder half-sisters and three elder siblings.

His mother was an extremely religious lady who had a great influence on the young Mohandas. However as he grew up, he developed a rebellious streak and defied many of his family norms. He started drinking alcohol and eating meat which were activities strictly prohibited in his traditional Hindu family.

He was a mediocre student in school though he occasionally won prizes and scholarships. He passed the matriculation examination of the University of Bombay in 1887 and enrolled at the Samaldas College in Bhavnagar.

In 1888, he received the opportunity to study law at the Inner Temple in London. Thus he left Samaldas College and sailed to England in August. There he studied law and jurisprudence with the intention of becoming a barrister.

While in England he was once again drawn towards his childhood values which he had renounced as a teenager. He became involved with the vegetarian movement and met members of the Theosophical Society who kindled his interest in religion.

He completed his studies successfully and was called to the bar in June 1891. He then returned to India.

He struggled professionally for the next two years before accepting a contract from Dada Abdulla & Co., an Indian firm, to a post in the Colony of Natal, South Africa, a part of the British Empire, in 1893.

The years spent in South Africa proved to be a profound spiritual and political experience for Gandhi. There he witnessed situations he had no idea about previously. He, along with all the other colored people, was subjected to rampant discrimination.

Once he was asked to move from first class on a train in spite of having a valid ticket solely on the basis of his color, and another time he was asked to remove his turban. He refused both times.

These incidents angered him and kindled in him the spirit to fight for social justice. Even though his original job contract with Dada Abdulla & Co. was just for one year, he extended his stay in the country in order to fight for the rights of people of Indian descent. He spent over 20 years in the country during which he helped found the Natal Indian Congress which aimed at molding the Indian community of South Africa into a unified political force.

Mohandas Gandhi gained a reputation as a fearless civil rights activist while In South Africa. Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, asked Gandhi to return to India and join the others in India’s struggle for freedom.

Gandhi returned to India in 1915. He joined the Indian National Congress and by 1920 established himself as a dominant figure in the Indian political scenario. He was a strict adherent to the principle of non-violence and believed that non-violent civil disobedience measures were the best means to protest against British rule.

He called for all the Indians to unite as one irrespective of the divisions of religion, caste, and creed in the country’s fight for independence. He advocated non-co-operation with British rule, which included a boycott of British goods in favor of Indian-made products. He also called for the boycott of British educational institutions and prompted Indians to resign from government employment.

The non-co-operation movement gained widespread mass appeal all over India which greatly agitated the British. Gandhi was arrested, tried for sedition, and imprisoned for two years (1922-24).

In the late 1920s, the British government appointed a new constitutional reform commission under Sir John Simon but did not include any Indian as its member. This infuriated Gandhi who pushed through a resolution at the Calcutta Congress in December 1928 demanding the British government to grant India dominion status or face another non-co-operation campaign aimed at attaining complete independence for the country.

The British did not respond and thus the Indian National Congress decided to declare the independence of India—the Purna Swaraj. On 31 December 1929, the flag of India was unfurled at the Lahore session of the Indian National Congress, and the independence of India was declared. The Congress called on the citizens to pledge themselves to civil disobedience until India attained complete independence.

During that time, the British’s Salt Laws which prohibited Indians from collecting and selling salt and forced them to pay for heavily taxed British salt were in place. Gandhi launched the Salt March, a non-violent protest against the British-imposed tax on salt in March 1930.

He led a march of 388 kilometers (241 miles) from Ahmedabad to Dandi, Gujarat to make salt himself. He was joined by thousands of followers in this symbolic act of defiance against British rule. This led to his arrest and imprisonment along with over 60,000 of his followers. He continued playing an active role in the independence movement post his release.

The nationalist movement had gained much momentum by the time World War II broke out in 1939. In the midst of the war, Gandhi launched another civil disobedience campaign, the Quit India Movement, demanding "an orderly British withdrawal" from India.

He gave a speech launching the movement on August 8, 1942, calling for determined, but passive resistance. Even though the movement received massive support, he also faced criticism from both pro-British and anti-British political groups. He was criticized for his strict refusal to support Britain in World War II, as some felt that it was unethical to not support Britain in its struggle against Nazi Germany.

Despite the criticism, Mahatma Gandhi remained steadfast in his adherence to the principle of non-violence and called on all Indians to maintain discipline in their struggle for ultimate freedom. Within hours of his powerful speech, Gandhi and the entire Congress Working Committee were arrested by the British. He was imprisoned for two years and released before the end of the war in May 1944.

The Quit India Movement became the most forceful movement in the history of the Indian independence struggle and is believed to have played a major role in securing the independence of India in 1947.

While the Indian National Congress and Gandhi called for the British to quit India, the Muslim League passed a resolution for them to divide and quit. Gandhi was opposed to the concept of partition as it contradicted his vision of religious unity.

Gandhi suggested that the Congress and Muslim League co-operate and attain independence under a provisional government, and decide about the question of partition later on. Gandhi was deeply troubled by the thought of partition and personally tried his best to unite Indians belonging to different religions and communities.

When the Muslim League called for the Direct Action Day on 16 August 1946, it led to widespread riots and manslaughter between Hindus and Muslims in the city of Calcutta. Distraught, Gandhi personally visited the most riot-prone areas and tried to stop the massacres. In spite of his best efforts, the Direct Action Day marked the worst communal riots that British India had seen and set off a series of riots elsewhere in the country.

When independence was finally achieved on 15 August 1947, it also saw the formation of the two new dominions of India and Pakistan following the Partition of India in which more than half a million lost their lives and 14 million Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims were displaced.

Rabindranath Tagore, a great Indian polymath, accorded the title of “Mahatma” (meaning “high-souled" or “venerable" in Sanskrit), to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

‘Time’ magazine named Gandhi the Man of the Year in 1930.

Gandhi was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times between 1937 and 1948 though he was never awarded the prize. The Nobel Committee publicly declared its regret for the omission decades later.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi wed Kasturbai Makhanji Kapadia in an arranged marriage in May 1883. He was 13 years old and Kasturbai was 14 years old at the time of their marriage. The marriage produced five children of whom four survived to adulthood. The names of his children were: Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, and Devdas. His wife too became a social activist in her own right later on.

Gandhi was a prolific writer and penned several books including the autobiographies ‘The Story of My Experiments with Truth’, ‘Satyagraha in South Africa’, and ‘Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule’.

He was assassinated on 30 January 1948 by Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a militant Hindu nationalist activist who shot three bullets into Gandhi’s chest at point-blank range at the Birla House (now Gandhi Smriti) in New Delhi. Prior to his assassination, there had been five unsuccessful attempts to kill him.

Mahatma Gandhi was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times and the committee regrets not giving him the prize to this day.

Gandhi believed that walking is the best exercise and walked around 18 km every day, for 40 years!

His civil disobedience movement which inspired thousands across the globe was itself inspired by a Briton, Henry Stephens Salt, who introduced Gandhi to the works of Henry David Thoreau which had a profound impact on his thinking.

Gandhi was responsible for the Civil Rights movement in 12 countries across four continents.

He spoke English with an Irish accent, for one of his first teachers was an Irishman.

While in South Africa, Gandhi promoted football in his non-violent campaigns and helped establish three football clubs in Durban, Pretoria, and Johannesburg.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was a fan of Mahatma Gandhi and wore circular glasses as a tribute to the great man.

He corresponded with a lot of prominent personalities of his time including Leo Tolstoy, Einstein, and Hitler.

Great Britain—the very country he fought against in India’s quest for independence—released a stamp in his honor in 1969.

The clothes he wore when he was shot are still preserved in Gandhi Museum, Madurai.

See the events in life of Mahatma Gandhi in Chronological Order

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Mahatma Gandhi: Life, Beliefs, and Death of a Famous Spiritual and Political Leader

Mahatma Gandhi, also known as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was a prominent figure in India’s struggle for independence from British rule. His approach to non-violent protest and civil disobedience became a beacon for peaceful movements worldwide.

Gandhi’s beliefs in simplicity, non-violence, and truth had a profound impact on the world, influencing other leaders like Martin Luther King Jr.

Table of Contents

Early Life and Education

Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town in western India. He was the youngest child of Karamchand Gandhi, the dewan (chief minister) of Porbandar, and his fourth wife, Putlibai. Coming from a Hindu family , young Gandhi was deeply influenced by the stories of the Hindu god Vishnu and the values of truthfulness, non-violence, and self-discipline. His mother, a devout Hindu, played a crucial role in shaping his character, instilling in him the principles of fasting, vegetarianism, and mutual tolerance among people of different religions.

READ MORE: The 10 Most Important Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Gandhi’s early education took place locally, where he showed an average academic performance. At the age of 13, Gandhi entered into an arranged marriage with Kasturba Makhanji in accordance with the custom of the region. In 1888, Gandhi traveled to London to study law at the Inner Temple, one of the Inns of Court in London. This journey was not just an educational pursuit but also a transformative experience that exposed him to Western ideas of democracy and individual freedom.

Despite facing challenges, such as adjusting to a new culture and overcoming financial difficulties, Gandhi managed to pass his examinations. His time in London was significant, as he joined the London Vegetarian Society and began to form the ethical underpinnings of his later political campaigns.

This period marked the beginning of Gandhi’s lifelong commitment to social justice and non-violent protest, laying the foundation for his future role in India’s independence movement and beyond.

Gandhi’s Religion and Beliefs

Mahatma Gandhi was deeply rooted in Hinduism, drawing inspiration from the Hindu god Vishnu and other religious texts like the Bhagavad Gita . However, his approach to religion was broad and inclusive, embracing ideas and values from various faiths, including Christianity and Islam, emphasizing the universal search for truth.

This eclectic approach allowed him to develop a personal philosophy that stressed the importance of truth, non-violence (ahimsa), and self-discipline. Gandhi believed in living a simple life, minimizing possessions, and being self-sufficient.

He also advocated for the equality of all human beings, irrespective of caste or religion, and placed great emphasis on the power of civil disobedience as a way to achieve social and political goals. His beliefs were not just theoretical; they were practical principles that guided his actions and campaigns against British rule in India.

Gandhi’s philosophy extended beyond mere religious practice to encompass his views on how life should be lived and how societies should function. He envisioned a world where people lived harmoniously, respected each other’s differences, and adopted non-violent means to resolve conflicts. His commitment to non-violence and truth was also not just a personal choice but a political strategy that proved effective against British rule.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Achievements

Gandhi is best known for his role in India’s struggle for independence from British rule. His unique approach to civil disobedience and non-violent protest influenced not only the course of Indian history but also civil rights movements around the world. Among his notable achievements was the successful challenge against British salt taxes through the Salt March of 1930, which galvanized the Indian population against the British government. Gandhi was instrumental in the discussions that led to Indian independence in 1947, although he was deeply pained by the partition that followed.

Beyond leading India to freedom, Gandhi’s achievements include the promotion of religious and ethnic harmony , advocating for the rights of the Indian community in South Africa, and the establishment of ashrams that practiced self-sufficiency, truth, and non-violence. His methods of peaceful resistance have inspired countless individuals and movements, including Martin Luther King Jr. in the American civil rights movement and Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

Gandhi in South Africa

Mahatma Gandhi’s journey in South Africa began in 1893 when he was 24. He went there to work as a legal representative for an Indian firm. Initially, Gandhi planned to stay in South Africa for a year, but the discrimination and injustice he witnessed against the Indian community there changed his path entirely. He faced racism firsthand when he was thrown off a train at Pietermaritzburg station for refusing to move from a first-class carriage, which was reserved for white passengers. This incident was crucial, marking the beginning of his fight against racial segregation and discrimination. Gandhi decided to stay in South Africa to fight for the rights of the Indian community, organizing the Natal Indian Congress in 1894 to combat the unjust laws against Indians. His work in South Africa lasted for about 21 years, during which he developed and refined his principles of non-violent protest and civil disobedience.

During his time in South Africa , Gandhi led several campaigns and protests against the British government’s discriminatory laws. One significant campaign was against the Transvaal government’s 1906 law requiring the registration of all Indians. In response, Gandhi organized a mass protest meeting and declared that Indians would defy the law and suffer the consequences rather than submit to it.

This was the beginning of the Satyagraha movement in South Africa, which aimed at asserting the truth through non-violent resistance. Gandhi’s strategies included strikes, non-cooperation, and peaceful protests, which often led to his arrest.

Nonviolent Civil Disobedience

Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent civil disobedience was revolutionary, marking a departure from traditional forms of protest. This philosophy was deeply influenced by his religious beliefs and his experiences in South Africa. He believed that the moral high ground could compel oppressors to change their ways without resorting to violence.

Gandhi argued that through peaceful non-compliance and willingness to accept the consequences of defiance, one could achieve justice. This form of protest was not just about resisting unjust laws but doing so in a way that adhered to a strict code of non-violence and truth, or Satyagraha.

The genesis of Gandhi’s approach can be traced back to his early experiences in South Africa, where he witnessed the impact of peaceful protest against oppressive laws. His readings of various religious texts and the works of thinkers like Henry David Thoreau also contributed to his philosophy . Thoreau’s essay on civil disobedience, advocating for the refusal to obey unjust laws, resonated with Gandhi and influenced his actions.

Satyagraha , a term coined by Gandhi, combines the Sanskrit words for truth (satya) and holding firmly to (agraha). For Gandhi, it was more than a political strategy; it was a principle that guided one’s life towards truth and righteousness.

Satyagraha called for non-violent resistance to injustice, where the satyagrahi (practitioner of Satyagraha) would peacefully defy unjust laws and accept the consequences of such defiance. This approach was revolutionary because it shifted the focus from anger and revenge to love and self-suffering. Gandhi believed that this form of protest could appeal to the conscience of the oppressor, leading to change without the need for violence.

In implementing Satyagraha, Gandhi ensured that it was accessible and applicable to the Indian people. He simplified complex political concepts into actions that could be undertaken by anyone, regardless of their social or economic status. Satyagraha was demonstrated through the boycotting of British goods, non-payment of taxes, and peaceful protests. One of the key aspects of Satyagraha was the willingness to endure suffering without retaliation. Gandhi emphasized that the power of Satyagraha came from the moral purity and courage of its practitioners, not from the desire to inflict harm on the opponent.

The effectiveness of Satyagraha was evident in various campaigns led by Gandhi, both in South Africa and later in India. In India, the Satyagraha movement gained momentum with significant events such as the Champaran agitation against the indigo planters, the Kheda peasant struggle, and the nationwide protests against the British salt taxes through the Salt March.

These movements not only mobilized the Indian people against British rule but also demonstrated the strength and resilience of non-violent resistance. Gandhi’s leadership in these campaigns was instrumental in making Satyagraha a cornerstone of the Indian independence movement.

Through Satyagraha, Gandhi sought to bring about a moral awakening both within India and among the British authorities. He believed that true victory was not the defeat of the opponent but the achievement of justice and harmony.

Return to India

After spending over two decades in South Africa, fighting for the rights of the Indian community there, Mahatma Gandhi decided it was time to return to India. His decision was influenced by his desire to take part in the struggle for Indian independence from British rule.

In 1915, Gandhi arrived back in India, greeted by a nation on the cusp of change. Upon his return, he chose not to plunge directly into the political turmoil but instead spent time traveling across the country to understand the complex fabric of Indian society. This journey was crucial for Gandhi as it allowed him to connect with the people, understand their struggles, and gauge the extent of British exploitation.

Gandhi’s initial focus was not on immediate political agitation but on social issues, such as the plight of Indian women, the oppression of the lower castes, and the economic struggles of the rural population. He established an ashram in Ahmedabad, which became a base for his activities and a sanctuary for those who wanted to join his cause.

This period was a time of reflection and preparation for Gandhi, who was formulating the strategies that would later define India’s non-violent resistance against British rule. His efforts during these early years back in India laid the groundwork for the massive civil disobedience campaigns that would follow.

Opposition to British Rule in India

Mahatma Gandhi’s opposition to British rule in India took a definitive shape when the Rowlatt Act was introduced in 1919 . This act allowed the British authorities to imprison anyone suspected of sedition without trial, sparking widespread outrage across India. Gandhi called for a nationwide Satyagraha against the act, advocating for peaceful protest and civil disobedience.

The movement gained significant momentum but also led to the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre , where British troops fired on a peaceful gathering, resulting in hundreds of deaths. This event was a turning point for Gandhi and the Indian independence movement, leading to an even stronger resolve to resist British rule non-violently.

In the years that followed, Gandhi became increasingly involved with the Indian National Congress, shaping its strategy against the British government. He advocated for non-cooperation with the British authorities, urging Indians to withdraw from British institutions, return honors conferred by the British empire, and boycott British-made goods.

The non-cooperation movement of the early 1920s demonstrated Gandhi’s ability to mobilize the Indian masses and posed a significant challenge to British rule. Although the movement was eventually called off following the Chauri Chaura incident in 1922, where a violent clash between protesters and police led to the deaths of several policemen, Gandhi’s commitment to non-violence became even more resolute.

Gandhi’s strategies evolved with the political landscape, leading to the Salt March in 1930, which directly challenged the British salt taxes. However, focusing on his broader opposition to British rule, it’s important to note how Gandhi managed to galvanize support from diverse sections of Indian society. His ability to communicate his vision of civil disobedience and Satyagraha resonated with many who were disillusioned by the British government’s oppressive policies. By the late 1920s and early 1930s, Gandhi had become the face of India’s struggle for independence, symbolizing hope and the possibility of achieving freedom through peaceful means.

Gandhi and the Salt March

In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi launched one of his most significant campaigns against British rule in India—the Salt March. This nonviolent protest was against the British government’s monopoly on salt production and the heavy taxation on it, which affected the poorest Indians.

On March 12, 1930, Gandhi began a 240-mile march from his ashram in Sabarmati to the coastal village of Dandi on the Arabian Sea. His aim was to produce salt from the sea, which was a direct violation of British laws. Over the course of the 24-day march, thousands of Indians joined him, drawing international attention to the Indian independence movement and the injustices of British rule.

The march culminated on April 6, when Gandhi and his followers reached Dandi, and he ceremoniously violated the salt laws by evaporating sea water to make salt. This act was a symbolic defiance against the British Empire and sparked similar acts of civil disobedience across India.

The Salt March marked a significant escalation in the struggle for Indian independence, showcasing the power of peaceful protest and civil disobedience. In response, the British authorities arrested Gandhi and thousands of others, further galvanizing the movement and drawing widespread sympathy and support for the cause.

The impact of the Salt March was profound and far-reaching. It succeeded in undermining the moral authority of British rule in India and demonstrated the effectiveness of non-violent resistance. The march not only mobilized a wide cross-section of Indian society against the British government but also caught the attention of the international community, highlighting the British Empire’s exploitation of India.

Despite Gandhi’s arrest, the movement continued to grow in strength, eventually leading to the negotiation of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact in 1931, which, though it did not meet all of Gandhi’s demands, marked a significant shift in the British stance towards Indian demands for self-rule.

Protesting “Untouchables” Segregation

Mahatma Gandhi’s campaign against the segregation of the “Untouchables” was another cornerstone of his fight against injustice. This campaign was deeply rooted in Gandhi’s philosophy that all human beings are equal and deserve to live with dignity, irrespective of their caste. Gandhi vehemently opposed the age-old practice of untouchability in Hindu society, considering it a moral and social evil that needed to be eradicated.

His commitment to this cause was so strong that he adopted the term “Harijan,” meaning children of God, to refer to the Untouchables, advocating for their rights and integration into society.

Gandhi’s protest against untouchability was both a humanistic endeavor and a strategic political move. He believed that for India to truly gain independence from British rule, it had to first cleanse itself of internal social evils like untouchability. This stance sometimes put him at odds with traditionalists within the Hindu community, but Gandhi remained unwavering in his belief that social reform was integral to the national movement.

By elevating the issue of untouchability, Gandhi sought to unify the Indian people under the banner of social justice, making the independence movement a struggle for both political freedom and social equality.

Gandhi’s efforts included organizing fasts, protests, and campaigns to allow the “Untouchables” access to temples, water sources, and educational institutions. He argued that the segregation and mistreatment of any group of people were against the fundamental principles of justice and non-violence that he stood for.

Gandhi also worked within the Indian National Congress to ensure that the rights of the “Untouchables” were part of the national agenda, advocating for their representation in political processes and the removal of barriers that kept them marginalized.

Through his actions, Gandhi not only highlighted the plight of the “Untouchables” but also set a precedent for future generations in India to continue the fight against caste discrimination. His insistence on treating the “Untouchables” as equals was a radical stance that contributed significantly to the gradual transformation of Indian society.

While the complete eradication of caste-based discrimination is still an ongoing struggle, Gandhi’s campaign against untouchability was a crucial step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable India.

India’s Independence from Great Britain

Negotiations between the Indian National Congress, the Muslim League, and the British authorities paved the way for India’s independence. The talks were often contentious, with significant disagreements, particularly regarding the partition of India to create Pakistan, a separate state for Muslims. Gandhi was deeply involved in these discussions, advocating for a united India while striving to alleviate communal tensions.

Despite his efforts, the partition became inevitable due to rising communal violence and political pressures. On August 15, 1947, India finally gained its independence from British rule, marking the end of nearly two centuries of colonial dominance.

The announcement of independence was met with jubilant celebrations across the country as millions of Indians, who had longed for this moment, rejoiced in their newfound freedom. Gandhi, though revered for his leadership and moral authority, was personally disheartened by the partition and worked tirelessly to ease the communal strife that followed.

His commitment to peace and unity remained steadfast, even as India and the newly formed Pakistan navigated the challenges of independence.

The geography of the Indian subcontinent was dramatically altered by the partition, with the creation of Pakistan separating the predominantly Muslim regions in the west and east from the rest of India.

This division led to one of the largest mass migrations in human history, as millions of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs crossed borders in both directions, seeking safety amidst communal violence. Gandhi spent these crucial moments advocating for peace and communal harmony, trying to heal the wounds of a divided nation.

Gandhi’s vision for India went beyond mere political independence; he aspired for a country where social justice, equality, and non-violence formed the cornerstone of governance and daily life.

Gandhi’s Wife and Kids

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi married Kasturba Makhanji Kapadia, often referred to as Kasturba Gandhi or Ba, in an arranged marriage in 1883, when he was just 13 years old. Kasturba, who was of the same age as Gandhi, became his partner in life and in the struggle for Indian independence. Despite the initial challenges of an arranged marriage, Kasturba and Gandhi grew to share a deep bond of love and mutual respect.

Together, they had four sons: Harilal, born in 1888; Manilal, born in 1892; Ramdas, born in 1897; and Devdas, born in 1900. Each of their births marked different phases of Gandhi’s life, from his early days in India and his studies in London to his activism in South Africa.

Kasturba was an integral part of Gandhi’s life and movements, often participating in civil disobedience and various campaigns despite her initial hesitation about Gandhi’s unconventional methods. The children were raised in a household that was deeply influenced by Gandhi’s principles of simplicity, non-violence, and truth.

This upbringing, while instilling in them the values of their father, also led to a complex relationship, particularly with their eldest son, Harilal, who struggled with the legacy and expectations associated with being Gandhi’s son. The Gandhi family’s personal life was deeply intertwined with the national movement, with Kasturba and their children actively supporting Gandhi’s efforts, albeit facing the personal costs of such a public and demanding life.

Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated because some extremists saw him as too accommodating to Muslims during the partition of India. He was 78 years old when he died. The assassination occurred on January 30, 1948 , when Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist, shot Gandhi at point-blank range in the garden of the Birla House in New Delhi.

Gandhi’s death sent shockwaves throughout India and the world.

It highlighted the deep religious and cultural divisions within India that Gandhi had spent his life trying to heal. His assassination was mourned globally, with millions of people, including leaders across different nations, paying tribute to his legacy of non-violence and peace.

Known as the “Father of the Nation” in India, Gandhi’s teachings of non-violence, peace, and civil disobedience have become foundational pillars for countless struggles for justice and freedom. Gandhi’s emphasis on living a life of simplicity and truth has not only been a personal inspiration but also a guide for political action.

His methods of Satyagraha —holding onto truth through non-violent resistance—transformed the approach to political and social campaigns, influencing leaders like Martin Luther King Jr . and Nelson Mandela. Today, Gandhi’s philosophies are celebrated every year on his birthday, October 2nd, which is recognized internationally as the International Day of Non-Violence, underscoring his global impact.

Gandhi’s legacy is honored in various ways, both in India and around the world. Monuments and statues have been erected in his honor, and his teachings are included in educational curriculums to instill values of peace and non-violence in future generations. Museums and ashrams that were once his home and the epicenters of his political activities now serve as places of pilgrimage for those seeking to understand his life and teachings. Films, books, and plays exploring his life and ideology continue to be produced. The Gandhi Peace Prize, awarded by the Indian government for contributions toward social, economic, and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods, further immortalizes his contributions to humanity.

The Famous People: http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mahatma-gandhi-55.php

Biography: http://www.biography.com/people/mahatma-gandhi-9305898#spiritual-and-political-leader

Gandhi’s Life and Works: http://www.mkgandhi.org/students/gandhi_f.htm

du Toit, Brian M. “The Mahatma Gandhi and South Africa.” The Journal of Modern African Studies, vol. 34, no. 4, 1996, pp. 643–60. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/161593. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

Godrej, Farah. “Nonviolence and Gandhi’s Truth: A Method for Moral and Political Arbitration.” The Review of Politics, vol. 68, no. 2, 2006, pp. 287–317. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20452781. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

Hendrick, George. “The Influence of Thoreau’s ‘Civil Disobedience’ on Gandhi’s Satyagraha.” The New England Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 4, 1956, pp. 462–71. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/362139. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

Kaufman, Stuart J. Nationalist Passions. Cornell University Press, 2015. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctt20d898n. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/legislativescrutiny/parliament-and-empire/collections1/collections2/1947-indian-independence-act/

Salla, Michael Emin. “SATYAGRAHA IN MAHATMA GANDHI’S POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY.” Peace Research, vol. 25, no. 1, 1993, pp. 39–62. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23607222. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

Suchitra. “What Moves Masses: Dandi March as Communication Strategy.” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 30, no. 14, 1995, pp. 743–46. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4402595. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

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Mahatma Gandhi Biography, Family, Education, History, Movements

Mahatma Gandhi or Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a politician, leader, activist, lawyer who had played an important role in India's struggle for freedom against British rule.

Table of Contents

Mahatma Gandhi, born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India, is universally acknowledged as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. His philosophy of nonviolent resistance, or Satyagraha, played a pivotal role in India’s struggle for independence from British rule. This article will discuss the life, principles, and enduring legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, highlighting his profound impact on global movements for justice and human rights.

Mahatma Gandhi Biography

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also honored as Mahatma Gandhi was a preeminent figure in India’s struggle for Independence from British rule through his ideology of non-violence. He was a renowned freedom activist and the most influential political leader of India. He was also known as Father of India, (Bapu) and Mahatma (Great Soul). Mahatma Gandhi also worked for India’s poor people and depressed classes. Martin Luther and Nelson Mandela were also influenced by his ideology of truth and non-violence.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Birth Date

Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 nd October in Porbandar, Gujarat. This date is observed as International Day for non-violence and Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti is also celebrated on 2 nd October. His father’s name was Karamchand Gandhi who was the dewan of Porbandar and his mother’s name was Putlibai. He was married at an early age his wife’s name was Kastubai Makhanji Kapadia and has 4 sons Harilal, Devdas, Manilal, and Ramdas. Know More about Mahatma Gandhi’s Biography, Ideology, Major Movements, and Books in this Article.

Mahatma Gandhi Education

• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi received his primary education in Rajkot where his father had relocated as dewan to the ruler Thakur Sahib.
• At the age of 11 years, he went to Alfred High School in Rajkot. Gandhiji at the age of 18, graduated from a high school in Ahmedabad.
• To study law he went to London University to become a barrister. He returned to India in 1891 at the age of 22 after his mother passed away.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Contribution in South Africa

In 1893, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi travelled to South Africa due to his client case named Dada Abdullah where he witnessed apartheid (racial discrimination against blacks and Indians). After he witnessed such an issue he decided to stay in South Africa to bring the Indian workers together and enable them to fight for their rights.

Moderate Phase of Resistance (1894 -1906): He set up the Natal Indian Congress along with a newspaper named ‘Indian Opinion’ to unite different sections of Indians.

Passive Resistance Phase (1906-1914): In this phase, Gandhiji used the method of Civil Disobedience which he called Satyagraha. In this process, he also set up Tolstoy Farm for the family of satyagrahis. He with his followers was jailed for their resistance.

Eventually, through several phases of negotiations, an agreement was reached, by which the government agreed to accept the major demands of the Indians and promised to treat the issue of Immigration in a lenient manner.

Mahatma Gandhi in India 1915

On the solicitation of Gokhale, conveyed by CF Andrews (Deenbandhu), Gandhiji got back to India to assist with the Indian battle for freedom. The last period of Indian Public development is known as the Gandhian period.

Mahatma Gandhi became the most prominent leader of the Indian National Movement . He employed his principles of nonviolence and Satyagraha against the British. Gandhi made the nationalist movement in India a mass movement.

Mahatma Gandhi soon after his return from South Africa joined the INC (Congress) and was introduced to Indian issues and politics and Gopal Krishna Gokhale became his political Guru.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Early Movements

Gandhiji after returning from Africa in 1915 and joining the Indian National Congress , his political guru was Gopal Krishna Gokhale. In 1916 at Ahmedabad, he established Sabarmati Ashram so that his followers could practice truth and nonviolence.

1. Champaran Satyagraha 1917

Champaran Satyagraha  was the first civil disobedience movement organised by Mahatma Gandhi. Rajkumar Shukla asked Gandhiji to look into the problems of the indigo planters in Bihar. The European planter been forcing the farmers to grow Indigo on 3/20 of the total land called the Tinkatiya system against which Gandhiji launched passive resistance or civil disobedience.

Prominent leaders such as Rajendra Prasad, and Anugrah Narayan Sinha stepped forward with Gandhiji to fight for the indigo farmers. Gandhiji was able to convince the Britishers to abolish the system and the peasants were compensated for the illegal dues extracted from them.

2. Kheda Satyagraha 1918

Kheda Satyagraha was the first non-cooperation movement organised by Mahatma Gandhi. Due to the drought of Kheda, Gujarat in 1918, the people of Kheda were unable to pay high taxes levied by the British due to the failure of crops and the plague epidemic.

Peasants were supported by Gandhi who asked them to withhold revenue. During the Kheda Satyagraha , young leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Indulal Yagnik became followers of Mahatma Gandhi. The government finally agreed to form an agreement with the peasants and hence the taxes were suspended for the years 1919 and 1920 and all confiscated properties were returned.

3. Ahmedabad Mill Strike, 1918

Ahmedabad Mill Strike : Gandhiji did his first hunger strike during this movement. He intervened in the dispute between Mill owners of Ahmedabad and the workers over the issue of discontinuation of the plague bonus. The demand for workers was a rise of 50% in their wages while the employees were willing to concede only a 20% bonus.

Workers under the leadership of Anusuiya Sarabai asked Mahatma Gandhiji for his support, who asked the workers to go on strike without being violent and Gandhiji went on fast until death. Mill owners at last agreed to submit the issue to the tribunal and with the hike of 35% wage the strike was withdrawn.

Mahatma Gandhi in Indian National Movement

1. khilafat movement 1919.

At the time of World War I , Gandhi sought cooperation from the Muslims in his fight against the British by supporting the Ottoman Empire which had been defeated in the world war. The British passed the Rowlatt Act to block the movement by the Indian nationalists. Mahatma Gandhi called for a nationwide Satyagraha against the act.

It was Rowlatt Satyagraha that gave Gandhiji the recognition of a national leader. Rowlett Satyagraha was against the unjust law passed by the British in the name of the Rowlatt Act. The  Jalliawala Bagh Massacre took place on April 13th, 1919 Gandhiji seeing the violence spread called off the Rowlatt Satyagraha on the 18th of April.

2. Non-Cooperation Movement 1920

Mahatma Gandhi advised the leaders of Congress to begin the Non-Cooperation Movement in support of the Khilafat Movement . At the Nagpur congress session in 1920, the non-cooperation program was adopted.

The incidence of Chauri Chaura took place in 1922, which became the reason why Mahatma Gandhi called off the non-cooperation movement. After the end of the non-cooperation movement, Gandhi focused on his social reform work and was not very active in the political sphere.

3. Salt March and Civil Disobedience Movement, 1930

Gandhi announced that he would lead a march to break the salt law as the law gave the state the Monopoly on the manufacturing and sale of salt.

Gandhi along with his 78 followers started his march from his ashram in Sabarmati to the coastal town of Dandi in Gujarat where they broke the salt law of the government by gathering natural salt and boiling seawater to produce salt which also marked the beginning of Civil Disobedience Movement .

4. Gandhi Irwin Pact 1931

Mahatma Gandhi accepted the truce offered by Irwin and called off the civil disobedience movement and accepted to attend the second-round table conference in London as the representative of INC. After returning from London, he relaunched the civil disobedience movement but by 1934 it had lost its momentum.

Read More: Gandhi Irwin Pact

5. Incidences after Civil Disobedience Movement

Communal Award , 1932: The Communal Award was created by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald on 16 August 1932. It was introduced following the Round Table Conference (1930–1922) and expanded the separate electorate to depressed Classes and other minorities. It is also known as the MacDonald Award. The main purpose of the communal award was to maintain a separate electorate for Muslims, Sikhs and Europeans.

Poona Pact , 1932 : It was the pact reached between B.R Ambedkar and Gandhiji concerning the communal awards provided for the depressed class but, in the end for the upliftment of the marginalized communities of the Indian society both came on the same understandings.

Mahatma Gandhi Resigned INC, 1934 : He did not agree with INC’s positions on various matters but he returned to active politics in the Lucknow Session of Congress (1936) which was presided over by Jawahar Lal Nehru.

Quit India Movement 1942 : The outbreak of World War II in 1939 and the last and crucial phase of the national struggle in India came together with the failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942 which gave the immediate reason for the launch of the Quit India movement.

At the Bombay Session of the All-India Congress Committee on 8 th August 1942, Gandhiji launched the Quit India movement. Gandhiji demanded British leave India with immediate effect. He called for a mass movement that was followed by non-violence. Most of the major leaders of Congress including Mahatma Gandhi were arrested.

Mahatma Gandhi Ideologies

Mahatma Gandhi developed a set of religious and social ideas initially during his period in South Africa from 1893 to 1914 and later during the freedom struggle movement in India. He developed these ideologies from various sources that inspired him including Bhagavad Geeta, Jainism, Buddhism, Bible and Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

These ideologies have been further developed by followers of Mahatma Gandhi most notably, in India by Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan, outside of India by Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and others. Major Gandhian ideologies are as follows.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Important Books

Here is a list of some important books written by Mahatma Gandhiji given below:

Mahatma Gandhi Slogans

He gave various slogans during his freedom struggle such as,

• Nonviolence is a weapon of strong
• Be the change that you want to see in the world
• In a gentle way, you can shake the world

Mahatma Gandhi Assassination

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist opposed to Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence and religious tolerance. Godse shot Gandhi at Birla House in New Delhi, ending the life of a key leader in India’s independence movement. Gandhi’s death shocked the world, leading to national mourning and reinforcing his legacy of peace and nonviolent resistance, which continues to inspire global movements for justice and human rights.

76th Mahatma Gandhi Death Anniversary

January 30th commemorates the 76th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the revered father of the nation, assassinated by Nathuram Godse in 1948. Known as “Bapu,” Gandhi’s pivotal role in India’s freedom movement showcased the power of non-violence. This day, also observed as Martyrs’ Day or Shaheed Diwas, pays homage not only to Gandhi but to all martyrs sacrificing for their country. On that fateful day in 1948, Godse fatally shot Gandhi as he headed to a prayer meeting.

Gandhi’s influence in promoting peace and non-violence during movements like the Salt Satyagraha and Quit India Movement remains significant. The day is marked by nationwide prayers, government officials, and citizens gathering at memorials to honour freedom fighters. Rituals include a two-minute silence to reflect on the sacrifices made by martyrs.

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Mahatma Gandhi Biography FAQs

Where was mahatma gandhi born.

He was born in Porbandar in Gujarat on 2nd October 1869.

Which newspaper Gandhiji started in South Africa?

He started the newspaper ‘Indian Opinion’ in Johannesburg.

When did Gandhiji started civil disobedience in South Africa?

He started in in 1906 in Johannesburg which also gave birth to his ideology of ‘satyagraha’.

When did Gandhiji came to Indian first from South Africa?

He came to India in 1901 to attend the meeting of Indian National Congress, after which he went back to South Africa again.

When did Gandhiji founded Harijan Sevak Sangh?

He founded it in 1932 and also started a journal named Harijan which means ‘People of God’.

How did Mahatma Gandhi died on 30 January 1948?

On January 30, 1948, Nathuram Vinayak Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in the compound of Birla House (now Gandhi Smriti), a large mansion in central New Delhi.

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Mahatma Gandhi Biography: Family, Education, History, Movements, and Facts

Mahatma gandhi's life and methods of struggle impact people now also. the greatness of a man is realized when his life influences people to change for the better, and so was mahatma gandhi's life. after decades of his death, after reading about him, people drastically changed their lives for the better. let's have a look at mahatma gandhi's life, movements, famous quotations written by him, etc. find out about him this martyr's day.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or  Mahatma Gandhi was a renowned freedom activist and an authoritative or powerful political leader who played an essential role in India's struggle for Independence against British rule of India. He was also considered the father of the country. No doubt, he also improved the lives of India's poor people. His birthday is celebrated every year as Gandhi Jayanti. His ideology of truth and non-violence influenced many and was also adopted by Martin Luther and Nelson Mandela for their struggle movement.

Mahatma Gandhi Biography

In South Africa for about 20 years, Mahatma Gandhi protested against injustices and racial discrimination using the non-violent method of protests. His simplistic lifestyle won him, admirers, both in India and the outside world. He was popularly known as Bapu (Father).

Mahatma Gandhi: Early Life and Family Background

He was born on 2 October, 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. His father’s name was Karamchand Gandhi and his mother’s name was Putlibai. At the age of 13, Mahatma Gandhi was married to Kasturba which is an arranged marriage. They had four sons namely Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas and Devdas. She supported all the endeavors of her husband until her death in 1944.

His father was Dewan or Chief Minister of Porbandar, the capital of a small principality in Western British India (Now Gujarat State). Mahatma Gandhi was the son of his father's fourth wife Putlibai, who belonged to an affluent Vaishnava family. Let us tell you that in his earlier days, he was deeply influenced by the stories of Shravana and Harishchandra as they reflected the importance of truth.

Mahatma Gandhi: Education 

When Gandhi was 9 years old he went to a local school at Rajkot and studied the basics of arithmetic, history, geography, and languages. At the age of 11, he went to a high school in Rajkot. Because of his wedding, at least about one year, his studies were disturbed and later he joined and completed his schooling. He joined Samaldas college in Bhavnagar in 1888 at Gujarat. Later, one of his family friends Mavji Dave Joshi pursued further studies i.e. law in London. Gandhiji was not satisfied with his studies at Samaldas College and so he became excited by the London proposal and managed to convince his mother and wife that he will not touch non-veg, wine, or women.

Off to London

In the year 1888, Mahatma Gandhi left for London to study law. Thereafter 10 days after arrival, he joined the Inner Temple, one of the four London law colleges, and studied and practiced law. In London, he also joined a Vegetarian Society and was introduced to Bhagavad Gita by some of his vegetarian friends. Later, Bhagavad Gita set an impression and influenced his life.

Top 55 Mahatma Gandhi Quotes for Inspiration and Motivation

Mahatma Gandhi: In South Africa

In May 1893 he went to South Africa to work as a lawyer. There he had a first-hand experience of racial discrimination when he was thrown out of the first-class apartment of the train despite holding the first-class ticket because it was reserved for white people only and no Indian or black was allowed to travel in the first class. This incident had a serious effect on him and he decided to protest against racial discrimination. He further observed that this type of incident was quite common against his fellow Indians who were derogatorily referred to as coolies.

READ|  When and Why British first landed on Indian Territory

On  22 May 1894  Gandhi established the  Natal Indian Congress (NIC)  and worked hard to improve the rights of Indians in South Africa. In a short period, Gandhi became a leader of the Indian community in South Africa.  Tirukkural ancient Indian literature, originally written in Tamil and later translated into various languages. Gandhiji was also influenced by this ancient book. He was influenced by the idea of Satyagraha which is a devotion to truth and in 1906 implemented a non-violent protest. He returned to India in 1915, after spending 21 years of his life in South Africa, and no doubt, there he fought for civil rights and at this time he was transformed into a new person.

Mahatma Gandhi: Role in the Indian Independence Movement

In 1915 , Gandhiji returned to India permanently and joined the Indian National Congress with Gopal Krishna Gokhale as his mentor.

Gandhi's first major achievement was in 1918 when he led the Champaran and Kheda agitations of Bihar and Gujarat. He also led Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, Swaraj, and Quit-India movement against the British government.

Gandhi-Irwin Pact

Mahatma Gandhi: Satyagraha

Gandhi identified his overall method of non-violent action as Satyagraha. Gandhiji's Satyagraha influenced eminent personalities such as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther in their struggle for freedom, equality, and social justice. Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha was based on true principles and non-violence.

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi

READ|  Champaran Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi: Death

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was assassinated on  30 January 1948 by Nathuram Godse. Godse was a Hindu nationalist and a member of the Hindu Mahasabha. He accused Gandhi of favoring Pakistan and was opposed to the doctrine of non-violence.

Mahatma Gandhi: Literary works

Gandhi was a prolific writer. Some of his literary works are as follows:

• Hind Swaraj, published in Gujarati in 1909. 

• He edited several newspapers which included Harijan in Gujarati, in Hindi and the English language; Indian Opinion, Young India, in English, and Navajivan, a Gujarati monthly. 

• Gandhi also wrote his autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth.

• His other autobiographies included: Satyagraha in South Africa, Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule.

Gandhi Jayanti Quiz: GK Questions and Answers About Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi: Awards

• In  1930 , Gandhi was named the Man of the Year by Time Magazine.

• In  2011 , Time magazine named Gandhi as one of the top 25 political icons of all time.

• He did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize despite being nominated five times between 1937 and 1948.

• The Government of India institutionalized the annual Gandhi Peace Prize to distinguished social workers, world leaders, and citizens. Nelson Mandela, the leader of South Africa's struggle against apartheid was a recipient of the award.

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi: Film

Ben Kingsley portrayed Mahatma Gandhi in the  1982  film Gandhi, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Therefore, Mahatma Gandhi will be remembered forever as he spread the message of non-violence, truth, and faith in God, and also he fought for India's Independence. His methods inspired various leaders, and youth not only in India but also outside of India. In Indian history, he is considered the most prominent personality and as the simplest person who wears a dhoti. He spread the message of swaraj and taught Indians how to become independent.

• According to Britannica, "The United Nations declared Gandhi's birthday, October 2nd, as the International Day of Non-violence in 2007."
• While the world knows him as Mahatma Gandhi, a beacon of nonviolent resistance and Indian independence, his journey began with a more humble name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Born in 1869, Mohandas' life took a pivotal turn when he encountered the title that would forever shape his legacy: Mahatma.
• In 1883, at the tender age of 13, Mohandas Gandhi's life took a significant turn when he was arranged to marry Kasturba Makhanji, who was also 13 at the time.
• In 1930, the world watched with bated breath as India's independence movement gained momentum under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. His unwavering commitment to nonviolent resistance, his charisma, and his ability to mobilise millions made him the Person of the Year by the Time Magazine. 
• A lifelong vegetarian, Mr. Gandhi's meals centered on fresh vegetables, curd, fruits, seeds, and nuts.

READ| Journey of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India

Get here current GK and GK quiz questions in English and Hindi for India , World, Sports and Competitive exam preparation. Download the Jagran Josh Current Affairs App .

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Gandhi: Surprising Facts on His Life and How His Legacy Lives on Today

Take a look at some remarkable facts on Mahatma Gandhi's life and celebrate his peaceful activism, which is very much alive today.

Gandhi forged India's independence from British rule in 1947 by staging massive peaceful demonstrations against poverty and the fight for women's rights and religious tolerance. Despite his death, Gandhi has become immortalized in our psyche as a hero of human rights and synonymous with the act of peaceful protest. He continues to inspire nonviolent human rights movements all around the world and has influenced the leadership of contemporary heavyweights like Nelson Mandela , Cesar Chavez , the Dalai Lama , and Aung San Suu Kyi .

In honor of Gandhi's legacy, we look at some surprising facts about his personal life, career, and politics.

-Gandhi was not the best student. Although he was known for being highly ethical with good English skills, he was considered a mediocre student in math and poor in Geography. He also had bad handwriting, which he was embarrassed about.

-Gandhi was a teenage newlywed. He was only 13 years old when he married his 14-year-old bride Kasturba in 1882. The young couple weren't too fond of each other but later found common ground. The death of their first child made him a strong opponent of child marriage.

-Gandhi spoke English like an Irishman. (One of his first English teachers was from Ireland.)

-Gandhi's civil disobedience was inspired by American Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau , whose famous essay "Civil Disobedience," he read while he was in prison.

-Gandhi's activism started in South Africa. Having a hard time finding work as a lawyer in India, Gandhi traveled to South Africa in 1893, where he was given legal work through an Indian firm. It was there that he and his fellow Indians encountered constant discrimination by the Dutch and the British, which in turn, inspired him to fight for their rights. During his time in South Africa, where he was imprisoned many times, he developed his concept of peaceful resistance and "satyagraha" (firmness in truth).

-In 1930 Gandhi became the first and only Indian (so far) who has been distinguished with the "Time Person of the Year" title.

-Gandhi never won a Nobel Peace Prize, despite being nominated five times. In 2006 the committee publicly admitted its regret at having never honored him with the award.

-Gandhi didn't like his photograph taken, yet he became the most photographed person of his era.

-Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy regularly corresponded with each other.

-Among Gandhi's many admirers were Albert Einstein and Henry Ford .

-Gandhi wrote a letter to Hitler , addressing him as "Dear Friend," and beseeched him to stop the war. Hitler never wrote back.

-Gandhi's funeral procession was almost 5 miles long.

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” - Mahatma Gandhi

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Mahatma Gandhi: An Extraordinary Life – Read His Biography

Table of Contents

Introduction

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was one of the most influential leaders in modern Indian history. Born in 1869 in Porbandar, India, Gandhi rose to prominence as a political and spiritual leader, leading India’s struggle for independence from British rule. He is best known for his philosophy of nonviolent resistance, which he referred to as satyagraha, and for his role in advocating for civil rights and justice.

Gandhi’s legacy continues to inspire people around the world who seek to bring about change through peaceful means. In this biography, we will delve into Gandhi’s life and explore the events and experiences that shaped his beliefs and values, and ultimately led to his remarkable impact on the world.

Early life and background of Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town in present-day Gujarat, India. He came from a Hindu Modh Baniya family and was the youngest of four siblings. Gandhi’s father, Karamchand Gandhi, was the chief minister of Porbandar and his mother, Putlibai, was a devout Hindu. Growing up, Gandhi was a mediocre student but was deeply influenced by the teachings of Hinduism and the stories of religious figures.

In 1888, Gandhi traveled to London to study law at University College London. During his time in London, he was exposed to the ideas of civil rights and religious toleration and was influenced by the writings of Henry David Thoreau and Leo Tolstoy. However, Gandhi struggled to establish himself as a lawyer upon his return to India and eventually decided to move to South Africa to work for an Indian-owned trading company.

It was during his time in South Africa that Gandhi was faced with discrimination and segregation and became actively involved in the struggle for Indian rights. He was instrumental in organizing protests and nonviolent resistance campaigns, including a march to the sea to protest the British salt tax, which became a defining moment in Gandhi’s political career. Through his experiences in South Africa, Gandhi developed his philosophy of satyagraha, which became the cornerstone of his future political activism.

3 years in London

Mahatma Gandhi spent three years in London studying law at University College London from 1888 to 1891. During his time in London, Gandhi was exposed to Western political and philosophical ideas and became interested in the concept of civil rights and religious toleration. He was influenced by the writings of Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, and John Ruskin, who advocated for non-violent resistance and social justice.

Despite his intellectual curiosity, Gandhi struggled to adjust to life in London, where he faced discrimination and cultural isolation. He lived a simple and austere lifestyle, abstaining from meat and alcohol, and was a devout Hindu. Gandhi also joined the Vegetarian Society and was an active member of the London Theosophical Society, where he further developed his spiritual beliefs.

Despite the challenges he faced, Gandhi’s time in London was formative and shaped his political and spiritual views. It was here that he began to formulate his philosophy of satyagraha and to see the importance of non-violent resistance as a means of achieving social change. Upon his return to India, Gandhi applied these principles to his activism and became one of the most prominent leaders in the struggle for Indian independence from British rule.

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Vegetarianism and committee work of mahatma gandhi

Vegetarianism was an important aspect of Mahatma Gandhi’s lifestyle and beliefs. He followed a vegetarian diet and was a member of the London Vegetarian Society during his time in London. Gandhi believed that nonviolence extended to all forms of life and that a vegetarian diet was consistent with this belief. He also believed that a vegetarian diet was essential for good health and spiritual well-being.

In addition to his interest in vegetarianism, Gandhi was also involved in committee work. He was an active member of the London Theosophical Society, where he studied spirituality and religion. He also joined the Indian National Congress, a political organization that was working towards Indian independence from British rule, and became a leader in the Indian independence movement.

Gandhi’s commitment to nonviolence, vegetarianism, and his work on committees reflected his deeply held beliefs and values. He saw these aspects of his life as integral to his activism and his goal of bringing about positive change in society. Through his activism and leadership, Gandhi inspired others to join him in the struggle for independence and advocated for the importance of nonviolence, compassion, and justice in the pursuit of political and social goals.

about Civil rights activist in South Africa

Mahatma Gandhi is best known for his role as a civil rights activist in South Africa. He moved to South Africa in 1915 to work as a legal representative for an Indian-owned trading company and was soon confronted with the realities of discrimination and segregation faced by Indians living in the country. Gandhi was deeply troubled by the widespread mistreatment of Indians and became actively involved in the struggle for Indian rights.

In response to the discriminatory laws and policies aimed at Indians, Gandhi organized a series of protests and nonviolent resistance campaigns. He believed that nonviolence was the most effective means of bringing about change and that it was necessary to resist unjust laws and policies. One of his most famous campaigns was the march to the sea, where he and a group of followers marched to the coast to protest the British salt tax. The march was a symbol of Gandhi’s commitment to nonviolence and his willingness to challenge the unjust laws of the British colonial government.

Gandhi’s activism in South Africa helped to bring international attention to the struggles of Indians living in the country and inspired a new generation of activists. His philosophy of satyagraha, which he developed during his time in South Africa, became the cornerstone of his future political activism and a guiding principle for the Indian independence movement. Through his work in South Africa, Gandhi established himself as a leader and a symbol of resistance, and laid the foundation for his later role as a leader of the Indian independence movement.

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Europeans, Indians and Africans social justice

Mahatma Gandhi believed in equality and advocated for the rights of all people, regardless of their race or ethnicity. He saw the struggles of Europeans, Indians, and Africans as interconnected and believed that all people were equal in the eyes of God.

In South Africa, Gandhi was particularly concerned with the rights of Indians living in the country. He organized a series of nonviolent resistance campaigns to challenge the discriminatory laws and policies aimed at Indians and worked to secure the rights of Indians living in South Africa. He also became an advocate for the rights of Africans, who were facing widespread discrimination and segregation in the country. Gandhi believed that the struggles of Indians and Africans were intertwined and that it was necessary to work together to bring about change.

In India, Gandhi was committed to ending British rule and securing independence for the country. He believed that the British colonial government was unjust and that Indians deserved the right to self-determination. However, he also recognized that independence would have to be achieved in a way that did not perpetuate discrimination and inequality. He believed that all people, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, should have equal rights and opportunities.

Throughout his life, Gandhi was a champion of social justice and equality. He believed that it was possible to create a world where all people lived in peace and dignity and worked tirelessly to bring about change. He saw the struggles of Europeans, Indians, and Africans as part of a larger struggle for justice and equality, and was committed to creating a world where all people were treated with respect and dignity.

How Mahatma gandhi Struggle for Indian independence

Mahatma Gandhi’s struggle for Indian independence was a long and difficult journey that lasted several decades. Gandhi was a leading figure in the Indian independence movement and became known for his philosophy of satyagraha, which emphasized nonviolent resistance as a means of achieving political change.

Gandhi first became involved in the independence movement in 1915 when he returned to India from South Africa. He soon became a leading figure in the Indian National Congress, a political organization that was working towards Indian independence from British rule. Gandhi believed that India could only achieve independence through nonviolent resistance and he used his leadership role in the Indian National Congress to advocate for this approach.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Gandhi led a series of nonviolent resistance campaigns aimed at securing independence for India. He organized marches, protests, and other acts of civil disobedience to draw attention to the injustices of British rule and to challenge the British colonial government. He also used his personal influence and reputation to rally support for the independence movement and to mobilize large numbers of people to participate in his campaigns.

One of Gandhi’s most famous campaigns was the Salt March of 1930, where he led a group of followers on a march to the coast to protest the British salt tax. The march was a symbol of Gandhi’s commitment to nonviolence and his willingness to challenge the unjust laws of the British colonial government. It also helped to bring international attention to the struggle for Indian independence and inspired a new generation of activists.

Gandhi’s struggle for Indian independence was a long and difficult journey, but it was ultimately successful. In 1947, India finally gained independence from British rule and became a sovereign nation. Gandhi’s commitment to nonviolence and his leadership role in the independence movement made him a beloved and revered figure in India, and his legacy continues to inspire people around the world who are working for justice and equality.

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Role of mahatma gandhi in World War I

Mahatma Gandhi played a limited role in World War I. At the time, he was living in South Africa and was primarily focused on the struggle for Indian rights in that country. Although he was aware of the war and its implications, he did not play a significant role in the conflict itself.

However, Gandhi’s views on war and violence were shaped by his experiences during World War I. He was a firm believer in nonviolence and saw the horrors of war as a result of the failure of human beings to resolve conflicts peacefully. He believed that war was a manifestation of the larger problems of greed, hatred, and injustice in the world and that it was the responsibility of individuals to work towards creating a more just and peaceful world.

In 1915, Gandhi was approached by the British colonial government in South Africa to recruit Indians to fight in the war. Gandhi initially hesitated, but ultimately agreed to help the government on the condition that the rights of Indians in South Africa would be protected. He helped to recruit a large number of Indian soldiers to fight in the war, but he was deeply disillusioned by the experience and by the British government’s lack of commitment to Indian rights.

In the aftermath of the war, Gandhi became increasingly critical of violence and of the military-industrial complex that he saw as driving much of the conflict. He saw the war as a failure of humanity and as evidence of the need for a more peaceful and just world. His experiences during World War I helped to shape his views on violence and nonviolence and influenced his later work as a leader in the Indian independence movement.

Round Table Conferences of mahatma gandhi

The Round Table Conferences were a series of three conferences held in London between 1930 and 1932 to discuss the future of India and the possibility of Indian independence from British rule. Mahatma Gandhi attended the second Round Table Conference in 1931 as a representative of the Indian National Congress.

The first Round Table Conference, held in 1930, was attended by a broad range of Indian political leaders and representatives from the British government. However, the conference was largely unsuccessful in reaching a consensus on the future of India and resulted in further division among Indian political leaders.

The second Round Table Conference, held in 1931, was attended by Gandhi, who used the opportunity to advocate for Indian independence and to press for the end of British rule in India. Gandhi argued that the British government had a moral obligation to grant independence to India and that continued colonial rule was unjust and unacceptable. He also used the conference to raise awareness of the nonviolent resistance movement in India and to promote his philosophy of satyagraha.

The third Round Table Conference, held in 1932, was also attended by Gandhi and other Indian political leaders. However, the conference was ultimately unsuccessful in securing independence for India, as the British government was not willing to grant full independence at that time. The conferences did, however, help to increase international awareness of the struggle for Indian independence and helped to build momentum for the independence movement.

Although the Round Table Conferences did not result in immediate independence for India, they were an important part of the struggle for independence and helped to lay the groundwork for India’s eventual independence in 1947. Gandhi’s participation in the conferences demonstrated his commitment to Indian independence and helped to raise the profile of the independence movement both in India and internationally.

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Awards won by mahatma gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi did not receive any official awards during his lifetime. However, he is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century and has been honored posthumously by many governments and organizations around the world. Some of the awards and honors he has received include:

• Bharat Ratna: This is India’s highest civilian award, and Gandhi was posthumously awarded this award in 1980.
• Nobel Peace Prize: Gandhi was nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize, but he never received the award during his lifetime. He is widely considered one of the most deserving candidates for the award, and his life and work continue to inspire people around the world.
• Order of Merit: This is the highest civilian order of the United Kingdom and was awarded to Gandhi posthumously in 1948.
• UN International Day of Nonviolence: In 2007, the United Nations declared January 30th, the anniversary of Gandhi’s assassination, as the International Day of Nonviolence.
• Gandhi Peace Prize: This is an annual award presented by the Indian government to individuals who have made significant contributions to the promotion of peace, nonviolence, and social justice.

These are just a few of the many honors and awards that have been bestowed upon Gandhi in recognition of his contributions to humanity and his leadership in the cause of peace and nonviolence. His legacy continues to inspire people around the world and serves as a testament to the power of nonviolent resistance and the transformative impact of a life dedicated to the pursuit of justice and peace.

Death of mahatma gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948. He was shot by a Hindu nationalist named Nathuram Godse, who disagreed with Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence and his support for the rights of India’s minority communities.

Gandhi was shot three times at point-blank range while he was walking to a prayer meeting in New Delhi. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he died shortly thereafter. His death was widely mourned in India and around the world, and it was seen as a great loss to the cause of peace and nonviolence.

The assassination of Gandhi was a turning point in Indian history and had a profound impact on the independence movement. Despite his death, his legacy lived on and he remains an iconic figure in India and around the world. He is remembered as a leader who was dedicated to the cause of justice and equality, and his teachings continue to inspire people around the world to work for a better, more peaceful world.

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Kangana Ranaut on Playing Indira Gandhi in ‘Emergency’ and Balancing Acting With Politics: ‘Her Life Was a Shakespearean Tragedy’ (EXCLUSIVE)

By Naman Ramachandran

Naman Ramachandran

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Kangana Ranaut , the Indian actor, filmmaker and member of parliament, is set to release her latest directorial and acting venture “ Emergency ,” a film that examines one of the most controversial periods in India’s post-independence history.

The Emergency, a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977, saw Prime Minister Indira Gandhi unilaterally declare a state of emergency across the country. The Emergency granted the Prime Minister authority to rule by decree, suspending elections and civil liberties.

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The actor-director says that she had a keen interest in Indian politics, diplomacy and how the country’s constitution evolved long before she became a politician. What sparked the desire to make a film on the Emergency was a line in a biography of Indira Gandhi by her close friend, the cultural activist Pupul Jayakar, which “deeply affected” Ranaut. “Jiddu Krishnamurti, her guru, friend and guide, he asked her to call an end to it. And she said something very interesting: ‘I feel as if I’m riding this ferocious, cruel beast, which I started to love riding initially, but now I don’t think I can get off of it’,” Ranaut said.

Ranaut says that “Emergency” is not merely a chronological retelling of events, but a deeper exploration of power and its consequences. “Her life was such a Shakespearean tragedy,” she says. “It’s not for us to judge or evaluate. It is what it is. When people see the film they will realize that it is such an honest take on the Emergency, what led to it and what eventually came of it.”

Despite the sensitive nature of the subject and the fact that the Gandhi family is now in opposition, Ranaut is confident in the film’s reception. She says that a “large team of historians” who had lived through the emergency, including Indira Gandhi’s friends and those who were in opposition, have worked on the film. “Nobody can get offended by this kind of honesty,” Ranaut said.

“Emergency” is Ranaut’s second directorial venture, following “Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi” (2019). The film sees Ranaut taking on multiple roles as lead actor, writer, director and producer. “It’s just so consuming,” Ranaut says of her multifaceted involvement in the film. “The only time I think I’ve seen that sort of engagement with anything is probably new parents. I’ve never seen that sort of engagement with anything.”

Ranaut is also navigating her role as a member of parliament, representing the Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh. She finds herself stretched thin between her political responsibilities and her film commitments. “Being a parliamentarian is a very demanding job,” Ranaut says. “Especially in my constituency, we’ve had floods, so I am all over the place. I have to go to Himachal and see to it that things are being taken care of.”

The demands of her political career have taken a toll on her film work will continue to span acting and directing. “My film work is suffering,” she said. “My projects are waiting. I’m not able to start my shoots. I’m waiting for more [parliamentary] sessions detail, like winter session, so I can adjust my dates.”

Despite the challenges, Ranaut remains committed to both roles. “I’m very open and whatever needs me more and engages me more as a person, eventually I’ll take that route,” she says. “But right now, it’s just way too much happening in my life.”

Ranaut’s journey in Bollywood has been marked by acclaimed performances in films such as “Gangster” (2006), “Fashion” (2008), and “Tanu Weds Manu” (2011). However, it was “Queen” (2013) that truly catapulted her to stardom and ushered in a new era of women-centric films in Bollywood. She followed this success with powerful performances in films like “Tanu Weds Manu Returns” (2015) and “Thalaivi” (2021).

Looking back on her career, Ranaut acknowledges the significant shift that occurred with the success of “Queen.” “I was an oddball,” she recalls of her early career. “We had to slog a lot. We came in at a time where we were just downright rejected.”

“Emergency” is set to release theatrically on Sept. 6.

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