mahatma gandhi biography english

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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.

6 Things You Might Not Know About Gandhi

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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Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was the primary leader of India’s independence movement and also the architect of a form of non-violent civil disobedience that would influence the world. He was assassinated by Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse.

(1869-1948)

Who Was Mahatma Gandhi?

Mahatma Gandhi was the leader of India’s non-violent independence movement against British rule and in South Africa who advocated for the civil rights of Indians. Born in Porbandar, India, Gandhi studied law and organized boycotts against British institutions in peaceful forms of civil disobedience. He was killed by a fanatic in 1948.

Early Life and Education

Indian nationalist leader Gandhi (born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Kathiawar, India, which was then part of the British Empire.

Gandhi’s father, Karamchand Gandhi, served as a chief minister in Porbandar and other states in western India. His mother, Putlibai, was a deeply religious woman who fasted regularly.

Young Gandhi was a shy, unremarkable student who was so timid that he slept with the lights on even as a teenager. In the ensuing years, the teenager rebelled by smoking, eating meat and stealing change from household servants.

Although Gandhi was interested in becoming a doctor, his father hoped he would also become a government minister and steered him to enter the legal profession. In 1888, 18-year-old Gandhi sailed for London, England, to study law. The young Indian struggled with the transition to Western culture.

Upon returning to India in 1891, Gandhi learned that his mother had died just weeks earlier. He struggled to gain his footing as a lawyer. In his first courtroom case, a nervous Gandhi blanked when the time came to cross-examine a witness. He immediately fled the courtroom after reimbursing his client for his legal fees.

Gandhi’s Religion and Beliefs

Gandhi grew up worshiping the Hindu god Vishnu and following Jainism, a morally rigorous ancient Indian religion that espoused non-violence, fasting, meditation and vegetarianism.

During Gandhi’s first stay in London, from 1888 to 1891, he became more committed to a meatless diet, joining the executive committee of the London Vegetarian Society, and started to read a variety of sacred texts to learn more about world religions.

Living in South Africa, Gandhi continued to study world religions. “The religious spirit within me became a living force,” he wrote of his time there. He immersed himself in sacred Hindu spiritual texts and adopted a life of simplicity, austerity, fasting and celibacy that was free of material goods.

Gandhi in South Africa

After struggling to find work as a lawyer in India, Gandhi obtained a one-year contract to perform legal services in South Africa. In April 1893, he sailed for Durban in the South African state of Natal.

When Gandhi arrived in South Africa, he was quickly appalled by the discrimination and racial segregation faced by Indian immigrants at the hands of white British and Boer authorities. Upon his first appearance in a Durban courtroom, Gandhi was asked to remove his turban. He refused and left the court instead. The Natal Advertiser mocked him in print as “an unwelcome visitor.”

Nonviolent Civil Disobedience

A seminal moment occurred on June 7, 1893, during a train trip to Pretoria, South Africa, when a white man objected to Gandhi’s presence in the first-class railway compartment, although he had a ticket. Refusing to move to the back of the train, Gandhi was forcibly removed and thrown off the train at a station in Pietermaritzburg.

Gandhi’s act of civil disobedience awoke in him a determination to devote himself to fighting the “deep disease of color prejudice.” He vowed that night to “try, if possible, to root out the disease and suffer hardships in the process.”

From that night forward, the small, unassuming man would grow into a giant force for civil rights. Gandhi formed the Natal Indian Congress in 1894 to fight discrimination.

Gandhi prepared to return to India at the end of his year-long contract until he learned, at his farewell party, of a bill before the Natal Legislative Assembly that would deprive Indians of the right to vote. Fellow immigrants convinced Gandhi to stay and lead the fight against the legislation. Although Gandhi could not prevent the law’s passage, he drew international attention to the injustice.

After a brief trip to India in late 1896 and early 1897, Gandhi returned to South Africa with his wife and children. Gandhi ran a thriving legal practice, and at the outbreak of the Boer War, he raised an all-Indian ambulance corps of 1,100 volunteers to support the British cause, arguing that if Indians expected to have full rights of citizenship in the British Empire, they also needed to shoulder their responsibilities.

In 1906, Gandhi organized his first mass civil-disobedience campaign, which he called “Satyagraha” (“truth and firmness”), in reaction to the South African Transvaal government’s new restrictions on the rights of Indians, including the refusal to recognize Hindu marriages.

After years of protests, the government imprisoned hundreds of Indians in 1913, including Gandhi. Under pressure, the South African government accepted a compromise negotiated by Gandhi and General Jan Christian Smuts that included recognition of Hindu marriages and the abolition of a poll tax for Indians.

Return to India

When Gandhi sailed from South Africa in 1914 to return home, Smuts wrote, “The saint has left our shores, I sincerely hope forever.” At the outbreak of World War I , Gandhi spent several months in London.

In 1915 Gandhi founded an ashram in Ahmedabad, India, that was open to all castes. Wearing a simple loincloth and shawl, Gandhi lived an austere life devoted to prayer, fasting and meditation. He became known as “Mahatma,” which means “great soul.”

Opposition to British Rule in India

In 1919, with India still under the firm control of the British, Gandhi had a political reawakening when the newly enacted Rowlatt Act authorized British authorities to imprison people suspected of sedition without trial. In response, Gandhi called for a Satyagraha campaign of peaceful protests and strikes.

Violence broke out instead, which culminated on April 13, 1919, in the Massacre of Amritsar. Troops led by British Brigadier General Reginald Dyer fired machine guns into a crowd of unarmed demonstrators and killed nearly 400 people.

No longer able to pledge allegiance to the British government, Gandhi returned the medals he earned for his military service in South Africa and opposed Britain’s mandatory military draft of Indians to serve in World War I.

Gandhi became a leading figure in the Indian home-rule movement. Calling for mass boycotts, he urged government officials to stop working for the Crown, students to stop attending government schools, soldiers to leave their posts and citizens to stop paying taxes and purchasing British goods.

Rather than buy British-manufactured clothes, he began to use a portable spinning wheel to produce his own cloth. The spinning wheel soon became a symbol of Indian independence and self-reliance.

Gandhi assumed the leadership of the Indian National Congress and advocated a policy of non-violence and non-cooperation to achieve home rule.

After British authorities arrested Gandhi in 1922, he pleaded guilty to three counts of sedition. Although sentenced to a six-year imprisonment, Gandhi was released in February 1924 after appendicitis surgery.

He discovered upon his release that relations between India’s Hindus and Muslims devolved during his time in jail. When violence between the two religious groups flared again, Gandhi began a three-week fast in the autumn of 1924 to urge unity. He remained away from active politics during much of the latter 1920s.

Gandhi and the Salt March

Gandhi returned to active politics in 1930 to protest Britain’s Salt Acts, which not only prohibited Indians from collecting or selling salt—a dietary staple—but imposed a heavy tax that hit the country’s poorest particularly hard. Gandhi planned a new Satyagraha campaign, The Salt March , that entailed a 390-kilometer/240-mile march to the Arabian Sea, where he would collect salt in symbolic defiance of the government monopoly.

“My ambition is no less than to convert the British people through non-violence and thus make them see the wrong they have done to India,” he wrote days before the march to the British viceroy, Lord Irwin.

Wearing a homespun white shawl and sandals and carrying a walking stick, Gandhi set out from his religious retreat in Sabarmati on March 12, 1930, with a few dozen followers. By the time he arrived 24 days later in the coastal town of Dandi, the ranks of the marchers swelled, and Gandhi broke the law by making salt from evaporated seawater.

The Salt March sparked similar protests, and mass civil disobedience swept across India. Approximately 60,000 Indians were jailed for breaking the Salt Acts, including Gandhi, who was imprisoned in May 1930.

Still, the protests against the Salt Acts elevated Gandhi into a transcendent figure around the world. He was named Time magazine’s “Man of the Year” for 1930.

Gandhi was released from prison in January 1931, and two months later he made an agreement with Lord Irwin to end the Salt Satyagraha in exchange for concessions that included the release of thousands of political prisoners. The agreement, however, largely kept the Salt Acts intact. But it did give those who lived on the coasts the right to harvest salt from the sea.

Hoping that the agreement would be a stepping-stone to home rule, Gandhi attended the London Round Table Conference on Indian constitutional reform in August 1931 as the sole representative of the Indian National Congress. The conference, however, proved fruitless.

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Protesting "Untouchables" Segregation

Gandhi returned to India to find himself imprisoned once again in January 1932 during a crackdown by India’s new viceroy, Lord Willingdon. He embarked on a six-day fast to protest the British decision to segregate the “untouchables,” those on the lowest rung of India’s caste system, by allotting them separate electorates. The public outcry forced the British to amend the proposal.

After his eventual release, Gandhi left the Indian National Congress in 1934, and leadership passed to his protégé Jawaharlal Nehru . He again stepped away from politics to focus on education, poverty and the problems afflicting India’s rural areas.

India’s Independence from Great Britain

As Great Britain found itself engulfed in World War II in 1942, Gandhi launched the “Quit India” movement that called for the immediate British withdrawal from the country. In August 1942, the British arrested Gandhi, his wife and other leaders of the Indian National Congress and detained them in the Aga Khan Palace in present-day Pune.

“I have not become the King’s First Minister in order to preside at the liquidation of the British Empire,” Prime Minister Winston Churchill told Parliament in support of the crackdown.

With his health failing, Gandhi was released after a 19-month detainment in 1944.

After the Labour Party defeated Churchill’s Conservatives in the British general election of 1945, it began negotiations for Indian independence with the Indian National Congress and Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s Muslim League. Gandhi played an active role in the negotiations, but he could not prevail in his hope for a unified India. Instead, the final plan called for the partition of the subcontinent along religious lines into two independent states—predominantly Hindu India and predominantly Muslim Pakistan.

Violence between Hindus and Muslims flared even before independence took effect on August 15, 1947. Afterwards, the killings multiplied. Gandhi toured riot-torn areas in an appeal for peace and fasted in an attempt to end the bloodshed. Some Hindus, however, increasingly viewed Gandhi as a traitor for expressing sympathy toward Muslims.

Gandhi’s Wife and Kids

At the age of 13, Gandhi wed Kasturba Makanji, a merchant’s daughter, in an arranged marriage. She died in Gandhi’s arms in February 1944 at the age of 74.

In 1885, Gandhi endured the passing of his father and shortly after that the death of his young baby.

In 1888, Gandhi’s wife gave birth to the first of four surviving sons. A second son was born in India 1893. Kasturba gave birth to two more sons while living in South Africa, one in 1897 and one in 1900.

Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi

On January 30, 1948, 78-year-old Gandhi was shot and killed by Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse, who was upset at Gandhi’s tolerance of Muslims.

Weakened from repeated hunger strikes, Gandhi clung to his two grandnieces as they led him from his living quarters in New Delhi’s Birla House to a late-afternoon prayer meeting. Godse knelt before the Mahatma before pulling out a semiautomatic pistol and shooting him three times at point-blank range. The violent act took the life of a pacifist who spent his life preaching nonviolence.

Godse and a co-conspirator were executed by hanging in November 1949. Additional conspirators were sentenced to life in prison.

Even after Gandhi’s assassination, his commitment to nonviolence and his belief in simple living — making his own clothes, eating a vegetarian diet and using fasts for self-purification as well as a means of protest — have been a beacon of hope for oppressed and marginalized people throughout the world.

Satyagraha remains one of the most potent philosophies in freedom struggles throughout the world today. Gandhi’s actions inspired future human rights movements around the globe, including those of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States and Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

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QUICK FACTS

• Name: Mahatma Gandhi
• Birth Year: 1869
• Birth date: October 2, 1869
• Birth City: Porbandar, Kathiawar
• Birth Country: India
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Mahatma Gandhi was the primary leader of India’s independence movement and also the architect of a form of non-violent civil disobedience that would influence the world. Until Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, his life and teachings inspired activists including Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
• Civil Rights
• Astrological Sign: Libra
• University College London
• Samaldas College at Bhavnagar, Gujarat
• Nacionalities
• Interesting Facts
• As a young man, Mahatma Gandhi was a poor student and was terrified of public speaking.
• Gandhi formed the Natal Indian Congress in 1894 to fight discrimination.
• Gandhi was assassinated by Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse, who was upset at Gandhi’s tolerance of Muslims.
• Gandhi's non-violent civil disobedience inspired future world leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
• Death Year: 1948
• Death date: January 30, 1948
• Death City: New Delhi
• Death Country: India

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Mahatma Gandhi Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/mahatma-gandhi
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: September 4, 2019
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014
• An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
• Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.
• Religions are different roads converging to the same point. What does it matter that we take different roads, so long as we reach the same goal? In reality, there are as many religions as there are individuals.
• The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
• To call woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is man's injustice to woman.
• Truth alone will endure, all the rest will be swept away before the tide of time.
• A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.
• There are many things to do. Let each one of us choose our task and stick to it through thick and thin. Let us not think of the vastness. But let us pick up that portion which we can handle best.
• An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.
• For one man cannot do right in one department of life whilst he is occupied in doing wrong in any other department. Life is one indivisible whole.
• If we are to reach real peace in this world and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with children.

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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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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

History Cooperative

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.

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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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Biography of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was a freedom fighter, a nationalist, a visionary and mass leader. His followers cut across the demographic divisions of caste, religion or culture. They came and still are from different classes of society, from poor to the affluent. Every word of Gandhiji was followed devotedly as a command by millions of Indians. His biography isn’t only a biography but also a rule book of morality and conduct, teaching us how to deal with adversities in the strongest way possible, yet at the same time clinging to our principles.

Facts about Mahatma Gandhi

Full Name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Date of Birth : October 2, 1869

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

Date of Death : January 30, 1948 (aged 78)

Place of Death : Delhi, India

Cause of Death : Assassination by Nathuram Godse

Professions : Lawyer, politician, freedom activist, writer

Religion : Hindu

Spouse : Kasturba Gandhi (m: 1883; died: 1944)

Children : Harilal Gandhi (1888-1948), Manilal Gandhi (1892-1956), Ramdas Gandhi (1897-1969) and Devdas Gandhi (1900-1957)

Father : Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi (1822-1885)

Mother : Putlibai Gandhi (1839-1891)

Schooling : Primary School in Rajkot

Law Degree : From University College London (1888-1891)

In South Africa : As a Civil Rights Activist (1893-1914)

Indian Independence Struggle : 1915-1947

Political Party : Indian National Congress

Childhood, Early Life and Adolescent

Gandhiji was born on 2 nd October 1869 at Porbandar Gujarat in a Gujarati modh baniya family. He was the youngest of the four children of Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai. Though his father was the Diwan of Porbandar, Gandhi’s weren’t rich, yet they ate and lived well.

As a child Gandhi is known to a restless kid, who wouldn’t spare an opportunity to play or roam around. He wasn’t easy to be found at home and often was playing outside.

As Gandhiji aged he started manifesting his principles and values in the influence of his devotedly religious mother. As an adolescent Gandhiji avoided bad company and spend most of his time either playing with his kin or reading books.

Gandhiji’s elementary education up to matriculation was completed in a school at Rajkot. At school he was a shy student who didn’t interact much with other students. He was also average in studies and had no interest in sports and other activities. After school, he would directly rush to home to eat meal and play.

Gandhi enrolled for Higher Education in Samaldas College in January 1888, Bhavnagar but dropped out a session later as he couldn’t understand the lectures.

On the advice of a family friend Gandhiji made up his mind to pursue law at London. Initially facing resistance from his mother, Gandhiji somehow managed to convince her and set sail for London on 4 th October 1888.

He completed his law degree from the University College London, and return to India in 1891 at the age of 22.

His Principles, Practices, Religion and Beliefs

Truth and non-violence were the two fundamental principles of Gandhiji’s life and his philosophy. He was also deeply religious and a staunch Hindu, in his own words.

Gandhiji’s religious beliefs stem from his mother’s life and her everyday conduct. She would never ever take a meal before completing her ritualistic prayer. She was the one who introduced Gandhiji to one of Hindu’s revered epics – Bhagavad Gita.

He had said on many occasions that when in distress and confusion he refers to a relevant verse of Bhagavad Gita and instantly found relief. The influence of his religiously pious mother has helped Gandhiji to delve into religion and understand it.

His religious beliefs also marked the foundation of his philosophy of truth and non violence, which he started practicing as a civil rights activist in South Africa. Gandhiji was wise enough to realize that the opponents are formidable and an act of violence will be dealt with double blow, leading to fatal consequences.

Therefore, Gandhiji used non violent protests to fight against injustice. This way the enemy wouldn’t be offended and will gradually concede to the demands.

Three Years of His Life in London

While studying law in London, Gandhi was as shy as he was in India and usually would only limit himself to lectures. Understanding the fact that audacity is essential for his career as a lawyer, he joined public speaking group in London.

In London, Gandhi stuck to the promise he made to his mother and abstained from consuming liquor and consuming meat. During initial days he remained constantly hungry until he found a suitable vegetarian restaurant.

He joined London Vegetarian Society under the President ship of Arnold Hills. Gandhi also joined the Theosophical society and read Bhagavad Gita for the society.

Gandhi left London in June 1981 when he was called for the Bar in India.

His Struggle in South Africa

Circumstances that Gandhiji faced in South Africa played a critical role in setting the path for his struggle in South Africa as well as later in India and transforming him into the world leader as we see him today.

He was called to South Africa to work as a lawyer for an Indian merchant there. Upon his arrival he had hands on experience of the oppression faced by the Indian community there. He was thrown out of a train’s first class compartment despite having a valid ticket, just because he was an Indian. He could have stopped his South African journey then and there, but he rather chose to fight against the oppression. Gandhiji’s first non violent, non cooperation movement was in South Africa.

During his struggle in South Africa, Gandhi had limited himself towards fighting for the rights of Indian community there. He kept native black Africans initially out of his political agenda; though, later he went on to provide them medical aid during war with the British Empire.

His Struggle for Indian Independence/Indian Independence Movements

Gandhiji came back to India in 1915 and remained politically active until his assassination on 30 th January 1948. Gandhiji’s principles that he applied into the Independence Movement had already proven their mettle in South Africa.

His struggle for Civil Rights in Africa had made him a popular figure in India and Britain as well; therefore, he was readily accepted as a leader by Indian political clout and the masses.

Gandhi’s political conduct was quite different from other politicians. He wouldn’t spare any chance to criticize them for misuse of power or for other immoral acts. For him, morality came before to any political gain.

Role of Mahatma Gandhi in Indian National Movements for Independence

He spearheaded many movements and undergo fast unto death three times in his lifetime. A bulleted list of all the independence movements of Mahatma Gandhi is listed below.

• Champaran Satyagraha
• Kheda Agitation
• Khilafat Movement
• Non co-operation Movement
• Salt Satyagraha (Salt March)
• Quit India Movement
• Civil Disobedience
• Boycott Mission

His movements initially were against the oppressive policies of the British Empire. He rallied from villages to villages throughout the length and breadth of the country to understand the real condition of farmers and poor Indians. He wanted to know the exact effects of unjust taxation and other laws on the Indian marginalized sections.

His Followers and International Influence

Due to his huge mass appeal Gandhi was instantly recognized and respected in Indian political circles. He was at the centre stage of national politics and presided over all the meetings of Indian National Congress. Despite of being closely linked to Congress, his image was more like a nonpolitical social reformer. Some of the influential political followers of Mahatma Gandhi were – Pt. Nehru, J. B. Kriplani, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Jai Prakash Narayan, Maulana Abdul Kalam Ajad, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Kamla Devi Chattopadhyay, J. C. Kumarappa, Meera Ben, Mridula Sarabhai, and C Rajgopalachari).

Awards in His Life

No number of awards can equate Gandhiji’s contribution in the Indian freedom struggle. Awards are too small in comparison to his personality and leadership qualities. Some of the most acclaimed awards and honor received by Gandhiji are listed below-

• Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1930.
• Doctorate level academic degree in Law by the Nagpur University in 1937.
• In 2011 named by the Time magazine among the top 25 political icons of all times.
• Inducted into the vegetarian hall of fame by the North American Vegetarian Society in 1995.

Gandhi was also nominated for Nobel Peace Prize in 1948, but was assassinated before the name could be finalized.

Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi

The assassination of Mahatma Gandhi was carried out by Nathuram Godse on 30 th January 1948 at Birla House, New Delhi.

Gandhi was heading for his evening prayer flanked by his female caretakers on both side and surrounded by followers. Evening prayers were a routine for Gandhiji and he would perform it in presence of hundreds of disciples.

But that evening the prayer was never delivered. While on his way to the dais Gandhi at around 5:17 P.M. Gandhi was stopped by Godse, who pretended to bend down for touching Gandhi’s feet. Gandhiji was a highly respected figure and he was accustomed to this respectful gesture.

One of the nieces of Gandhiji accompanying him is known to have told Nathuram – “Brother, Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) is getting late”. It was at the end of her sentence, that Nathuram pushed her away and pumped three bullets in chest of Mahatma Gandhi with his Beretta M1934 pistol. He was immediately apprehended by the policemen present there and taken into custody.

Gandhiji was taken to a bedroom in Birla House where he died 20 to 30 minutes later.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Legacy

Mahatma Gandhi had left an infinite legacy in terms of principles, methods and the values he professed. Thousands of streets in India and some even in foreign countries are named after him. Almost every city in India has at least one statue of Gandhiji at a road crossing or a public park. But, he can do without all his statues and the streets named after him; such big is the legacy of principles and morality that he left behind.

Speaking of the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, there are two of its main constituents – truth and non violence. No one else could have better explained truth and non violence, through his/her deeds as Gandhiji did it. His whole life was nothing but the application of these two basic foundation blocks of humanity.

He left behind a legacy that would inspire millions for ages to come and continue providing strength to the weak and suppressed.

Current Impact of Bapu in India and Abroad

Mahatma Gandhi is still a highly revered figure in India, yet not all of his principles are practiced either by the people or the political parties.

His policy of economic liberation through villages by making them self sustainable, was deserted in a rush to modernization. His principles of non violence became irrelevant over time with external threats and a need to safeguard the nation with larger military power.

Though, time to time his views on communal harmony and casteism are presented in order to promote peace and unity.

An image of Gandhiji also appears on currency notes of all the denominations. His birthday on 2 nd October is celebrated as a national holiday with much enthusiasm.

At least three temples in India are dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi – one at Sambalpur in Orissa, another in Chikmagalur in Karnataka and the third and last in Nalgonda District, Telangana.

Gandhiji is also a highly revered figure in South Africa and he is credited to spark the protests that finally culminated in the black’s right to vote.

There are also Gandhiji’s statues at prominent locations in Brazil, Spain and United Kingdom.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the greatest leader ever born in India or in the world. So great was his command over his countrymen that millions gathered in just a matter of hours on his one call. He knew the religions, cultures, people and the land of his country much better than any of his political counterparts. He was indeed an epitome of morality and always stuck to his principles of truth and non-violence, come what may. His teachings and principles have led us to freedom and still show us the way to live in harmony and be progressive. Gandhiji and his legacy will remain deeply engraved in Indian culture and into every Indian’s heart.

More about Mahatma Gandhi:

Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s Views on Environment and Its Protection

Life of Mahatma Gandhi from Childhood to Adolescent

How Mahatma Gandhi is Still Alive among us

Why Mahatma Gandhi was not Awarded Bharat Ratna or Nobel?

Struggle of mahatma gandhi in south africa.

For Students:

Gandhi Jayanti

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi’s Educational Philosophy

Gandhi Jayanti Essay

Essay on Gandhi Jayanti Celebration

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi Jayanti Speech

Speech on Mahatma Gandhi

Famous Speeches by Mahatma Gandhi

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Mahathma Gandhiji Biography

Born           : october   2, 1869 martyrdom: january 30, 1948.,            achievements: known as father of nation; played a key role in winning freedom for india; introduced the concept of ahimsa and satyagraha.,            mahatma gandhi popularly known as father of nation played a stellar role in india's freedom struggle. born in a bania family in kathiawar, gujarat, his real name was mohandas karamchand gandhi (m.k. gandhi). the title mahatma came to be associated with his name much later. paying tribute to mahatma gandhi on his death, famous scientist albert einstein said, "generations to come will scarce believe that such a man as this walked the earth in flesh and blood".,            mohandas karamchand gandhi was born on october 2, 1869, at porbandar, a small town on the western coast of india, which was then one of the many tiny states in kathiawar. gandhiji was born in middle class family of vaishya caste. his father, karamchand gandhi, was a dewan or prime minister of porbandar. his mother, putlibai, was a very religious lady and left a deep impression on gandhiji's mind. gandhiji was a mediocre student and was excessively shy and timid. gandhiji was married at the age of thirteen to kasturbai. he was in high school at that time. later on in his life, gandhiji denounced the custom of child marriage and termed it as cruel. after matriculating from the high school, gandhiji joined the samaldas college in bhavnagar. after the death of gandhiji's father in 1885, a family suggested that if gandhiji hoped to take his father's place in the state service he had better become a barrister which he could do in england in three years. gandhi welcomed the idea but his mother was objected to the idea of going abroad. to win his mother's approval gandhiji took a solemn vow not to touch wine, women and meat and remained true to it throughout his stay in england.,            gandhiji sailed for england on september 4, 1888. initially he had difficulty in adjusting to english customs and weather but soon he overcame it. gandhiji completed his law degree in 1891 and returned to india. he decided to set up legal practice in bombay but couldn't establish himself. gandhiji returned to rajkot but here also he could not make much headway. at this time gandhiji received an offer from dada abdulla & co. to proceed to south africa on their behalf to instruct their counsel in a lawsuit. gandhiji jumped at the idea and sailed for south africa in april 1893.,            it was in south africa that gandhiji's transformation from mohandas to mahatma took place. gandhiji landed at durban and soon he realized the oppressive atmosphere of racial snobbishness against indians who were settled in south africa in large numbers. after about a week's stay in durban gandhiji left for pretoria, the capital of the transvaal, in connection with a lawsuit. when the train reached pietermaritzburg, the capital of natal, at about 9 p.m. a white passenger who boarded the train objected to the presence of a "coloured" man in the compartment and gandhji was ordered by a railway official to shift to a third class. when he refused to do so, a constable pushed him out and his luggage was taken away by the railway authorities. it was winter and bitterly cold.,            this incident changed gandhiji's life forever. he decided to fight for the rights of indians. gandhiji organised the indian community in south africa and asked them to forget all distinctions of religion and caste. he suggested the formation of an association to look after the indian settlers and offered his free time and services.,            during his stay in south africa, gandhiji's life underwent a change and he developed most of his political ideas. gandhiji decided to dedicate himself completely to the service of humanity. he realized that absolute continence or brahmacharya was indispensable for the purpose as one could not live both after the flesh and the spirit. in 1906, gandhiji took a vow of absolute continence. in the course of his struggle in south africa, gandhiji, developed the concepts of ahimsa (non-violence) and satyagraha (holding fast to truth or firmness in a righteous cause). gandhiji's struggle bore fruit and in 1914 in an agreement between gandhiji and south african government, the main indian demands were conceded.,            gandhiji returned to india in 1915 and on the advice of his political guru gopal krishna gokhale, spent the first year touring throughout the country to know the real india. after an year of wandering, gandhiji settled down on the bank of the river sabarmati, on the outskirts of ahmedabad, where he founded an ashram called satyagraha ashram. gandhiji's first satyagraha in india was in champaran, in bihar.,            in 1921, gandhji gave the call for non-cooperation movement against the ills of british rule. gandhiji's call roused the sleeping nation. many indians renounced their titles and honours, lawyers gave up their practice, and students left colleges and schools.,            after the outbreak of second world war in 1939, gandhiji again became active in the political arena. british government wanted india's help in the war and congress in return wanted a clear-cut promise of independence from british government. but british government dithered in its response and on august 8, 1942 gandhiji gave the call for quit india movement. soon the british government arrested gandhiji and other top leaders of congress. disorders broke out immediately all over india and many violent demonstrations took place. while gandhiji was in jail his wife kasturbai passed away. gandhiji too had a severe attack of malaria. in view of his deteriorating health he was released from the jail in may 1944.,            second world war ended in 1945 and britain emerged victorious. in the general elections held in britain in 1945, labour party came to power, and atlee became the prime minister. he promised an early realization of self government in india. a cabinet mission arrived from england to discuss with indian leaders the future shape of a free and united india, but failed to bring the congress and muslims together. india attained independence but jinnah's intransigence resulted in the partition of the country. communal riots between hindus and muslims broke out in the country in the aftermath of partition. tales of atrocities on hindus in pakistan provoked hindus in india and they targeted muslims. gandhiji worked ceaselessly to promote unity between hindus and muslims. this angered some fundamentalists and on january 30, 1948 gandhiji was shot dead by one such fundamentalist nathu ram godse while he was going for his evening prayers. the last words on the lips of gandhiji were hey ram..

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Mahatma Gandhi

Introduction.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India. In his youth he learned the religions of Hinduism and Jainism. Nonviolence is one of Jainism’s main ideas.

During his years at school, Gandhi was considered an average student. In 1887 he finished his studies at the University of Bombay. He then moved to England to study law. He returned to India in 1891. He tried to start a law career, but he was unsuccessful.

Work in South Africa

In 1893 Gandhi took a job in a British colony in South Africa. There he saw Europeans mistreating Indian settlers. He got into politics to fight for Indian rights.

Gandhi first used his method of nonviolent protest in 1906. He told Indians that they should not obey British laws that they thought were wrong. He also said they should stay peaceful no matter how they were punished for their actions. This new method of protest became known as satyagraha, or “devotion to truth.”

Protests in India

Gandhi returned to India in 1915. Within a few years he became India’s most powerful political leader. He led major protests in 1920–22, 1930–34, and 1940–42. Gandhi’s followers stopped using British goods. They refused to enter British courts and schools. In 1930 Gandhi led a protest against a British tax on salt. He led Indians on a march to the sea to collect their own salt. Gandhi was sometimes jailed for his actions.

Independence

Gandhi was imprisoned for two years during World War II . He and other Indian leaders had demanded immediate independence as India’s price for aiding Britain in the war. After he was released, Gandhi continued to work for independence.

India finally won its independence in 1947. It was a great victory for Gandhi. But he was disappointed because India’s land was divided into two new countries: India and Pakistan . Before and after India’s division, the country was torn by clashes between Hindus and Muslims . Gandhi tried to make peace. On January 30, 1948, in the city of Delhi, he was shot and killed by a Hindu man.

Place in History

Gandhi was one of the greatest political and social leaders in the 20th century. His use of nonviolent protest eventually led to his country’s independence. Within his country, he supported the rights of both Hindus and Muslims. He also sought better treatment for groups everyone else looked down upon.

Gandhi was admired by many influential people of his day and beyond. Albert Einstein , one of the greatest geniuses in the history of science, deeply admired Gandhi. Many others who have fought for equality and justice were inspired to follow the path forged by Gandhi. Martin Luther King, Jr. , learned about Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence and used it to win victories for the civil rights movement in the United States.

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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

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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.

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Mahatma Gandhi : a biography, complete and unabridged

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Español NEW Mahatma Gandhi facts for kids Born (1869-10-02)2 October 1869 Died 30 January 1948(1948-01-30) (aged 78) , Cause of death Assassination Monuments Citizenship (1869–1947) (1947–1948) Alma mater , London (September 1888–1891) between 1888 and 1891) Occupation Years active 1893–1948 Era Known for from Political party (1920–1934) Movement Spouse(s) (  1883; died 1944) ​ Children Parents Relatives See Family of Mahatma Gandhi (father-in-law of Gandhi's son Devdas) Awards Person of the Year (1930) 43rd 1924-1925 Preceded by Succeeded by Signature Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( GA(H)N -dee 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist and political ethicist. Ghandi employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule . He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The honorific Mahātmā ( Sanskrit : "great-souled", "venerable"), first applied to him in 1914 in South Africa , is now used throughout the world. Early years Life in south africa, political activism in india, nonviolence, personal life, interesting facts about mahatma gandhi, literary works, followers and international influence, current impact within india, descendants, images for kids. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 into a Gujarati Hindu Modh Bania family in Porbandar, in coastal Gujarat . His father, Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi (1822–1885), served as the dewan (chief minister) of Porbandar state. His family originated from the then village of Kutiana. At age 9, Gandhi entered the local school in Rajkot, near his home. There, he studied the rudiments of arithmetic, history, the Gujarati language and geography. At the age of 11, he joined the High School in Rajkot, Alfred High School. He was an average student, won some prizes, but was a shy and tongue tied student, with no interest in games; his only companions were books and school lessons. In November 1887, the 18-year-old Gandhi graduated from high school in Ahmedabad . In January 1888, he enrolled at Samaldas College in Bhavnagar State, then the sole degree-granting institution of higher education in the region. However, he dropped out, and returned to his family in Porbandar. Mavji Dave Joshiji, a Brahmin priest and family friend, advised Gandhi and his family that he should consider law studies in London. He left for London at age 18. He trained in the law at the Inner Temple , London , and was called to the bar at age 22 in June 1891. After two uncertain years in India, where he was unable to start a successful law practice, he moved to South Africa in 1893 to represent an Indian merchant in a lawsuit. He went on to live in South Africa for 21 years. It was here that Gandhi raised a family and first employed nonviolent resistance in a campaign for civil rights. Immediately upon arriving in South Africa, Gandhi faced discrimination because of his skin colour and heritage, like all people of colour. He was not allowed to sit with European passengers in the stagecoach and told to sit on the floor near the driver, then beaten when he refused; elsewhere he was kicked into a gutter for daring to walk near a house, in another instance thrown off a train at Pietermaritzburg after refusing to leave the first-class. He sat in the train station, shivering all night and pondering if he should return to India or protest for his rights. He chose to protest and was allowed to board the train the next day. In another incident, the magistrate of a Durban court ordered Gandhi to remove his turban, which he refused to do. Indians were not allowed to walk on public footpaths in South Africa. Gandhi was kicked by a police officer out of the footpath onto the street without warning. While in South Africa, Gandhi focused on the racial persecution of Indians before he started to focus on racism against Africans. By 1910, Gandhi's newspaper, Indian Opinion , was covering reports on discrimination against Africans by the colonial regime. In the years after black South Africans gained the right to vote in South Africa (1994), Gandhi was proclaimed a national hero with numerous monuments. In 1915, aged 45, Ghandi returned to India and soon set about organising peasants, farmers, and urban labourers to protest against excessive land-tax and discrimination. After he returned to India, people flocked to him because he reflected their values. Ghandi assumed leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921 and led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding women's rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability, and, above all, achieving swaraj or self-rule. Gandhi wore the short dhoti woven with hand-spun yarn as a mark of identification with India's rural poor. He began to live in a self-sufficient residential community, to eat simple food, and undertake long fasts as a means of both introspection and political protest. Gandhi led the common Indians in challenging the British-imposed salt tax with the 400 km (250 mi) Dandi Salt March in 1930 and in calling for the British to quit India in 1942. He was imprisoned many times and for many years in both South Africa and India. Gandhi's vision of an independent India based on religious pluralism was challenged in the early 1940s by a Muslim nationalism which demanded a separate homeland for Muslims within British India . In August 1947, Britain granted independence, but the British Indian Empire was partitioned into two dominions, a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan . As many displaced Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs made their way to their new lands, religious violence broke out, especially in the Punjab and Bengal . Gandhi visited the affected areas, attempting to alleviate distress. In the months following, he undertook several hunger strikes to stop the religious violence. The last of these, begun in Delhi on 12 January 1948 when he was 78, also had the indirect goal of pressuring India to pay out some cash assets owed to Pakistan, which the Indian government had been resisting. Although the Government of India relented, as did the religious rioters, the belief that Gandhi had been too supportive of both Pakistan and Indian Muslims, spread among some Hindus in India. Among these was Nathuram Godse , a militant Hindu nationalist from Pune , western India, who assassinated Gandhi in Delhi on 30 January 1948. Although Gandhi was not the originator of the principle of nonviolence, he was the first to apply it in the political field on a large scale. The concept of nonviolence ( ahimsa ) has a long history in Indian religious thought, and is considered the highest ethical value virtue. Gandhi explains his philosophy and ideas about ahimsa as a political means in his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth . Gandhi's death was mourned nationwide. Over a million people joined the five-mile-long funeral procession that took over five hours to reach Raj Ghat from Birla house, where he was assassinated, and another million watched the procession pass by. Gandhi's body was transported on a weapons carrier, whose chassis was dismantled overnight to allow a high-floor to be installed so that people could catch a glimpse of his body. The engine of the vehicle was not used; instead four drag-ropes held by 50 people each pulled the vehicle. All Indian-owned establishments in London remained closed in mourning as thousands of people from all faiths and denominations and Indians from all over Britain converged at India House in London. Gandhi was cremated in accordance with Hindu tradition. Gandhi's ashes were poured into urns which were sent across India for memorial services. Most of the ashes were immersed at the Sangam at Allahabad on 12 February 1948, but some were secretly taken away. The Birla House site where Gandhi was assassinated is now a memorial called Gandhi Smriti. The place near Yamuna river where he was cremated is the Rāj Ghāt memorial in New Delhi. A black marble platform, it bears the epigraph "Hē Rāma" ( Devanagari : हे ! राम or, Hey Raam ). These are widely believed to be Gandhi's last words after he was shot, though the veracity of this statement has been questioned. In May 1883, the 13-year-old Mohandas was married to 14-year-old Kasturbai Makhanji Kapadia (her first name was usually shortened to "Kasturba", and affectionately to "Ba") in an arranged marriage , according to the custom of the region at that time. In the process, he lost a year at school but was later allowed to make up by accelerating his studies. His wedding was a joint event, where his brother and cousin were also married. Recalling the day of their marriage, he once said, "As we didn't know much about marriage, for us it meant only wearing new clothes, eating sweets and playing with relatives." As was the prevailing tradition, the adolescent bride was to spend much time at her parents' house, and away from her husband. In late 1885, Gandhi's father Karamchand died. Gandhi, then 16 years old, and his wife of age 17 had their first baby, who survived only a few days. The two deaths anguished Gandhi. The Gandhi couple had four more children, all sons: Harilal, born in 1888; Manilal, born in 1892; Ramdas, born in 1897; and Devdas, born in 1900. Mahātmā is not his name, but a title, meaning "great-souled", "venerable". As a child, Gandhi was described by his sister Raliat as "restless as mercury, either playing or roaming about. One of his favourite pastimes was twisting dogs' ears." The Indian classics, especially the stories of Shravana and king Harishchandra, had a great impact on Gandhi in his childhood. In India, Gandhi is considered the Father of the Nation and is commonly called Bapu ( Gujarati endearment for 'father', 'papa'). The Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela is among admirers of Gandhi's efforts to fight against racism in Africa. Winston Churchill was a vigorous critic of Gandhi and opponent of his long-term plans. Churchill often ridiculed Gandhi. Ghandi was in correspondence with the Russian writer and philosopher Leo Tolstoy until Tolstoy's death in 1910 (Tolstoy's last letter was to Gandhi). The letters concern practical and theological applications of nonviolence. Gandhi saw himself a disciple of Tolstoy. The Mahatma Gandhi District in Houston , Texas, United States, an ethnic Indian enclave, is officially named after Gandhi. Indira Gandhi , an Indian politician and former Prime Minister, is not related to Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize , although he was nominated five times between 1937 and 1948. Gandhi's birthday, 2 October, is commemorated in India as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday, and worldwide as the International Day of Nonviolence. Gandhi is noted as the greatest figure of the successful Indian independence movement against the British rule. He is also hailed as the greatest figure of modern India. American historian Stanley Wolpert described Gandhi as "India's greatest revolutionary nationalist leader" and the greatest Indian since the Buddha . In 1999, Gandhi was named "Asian of the century" by Asiaweek . In a 2000 BBC poll, he was voted as the greatest man of the millennium. The word Mahatma , while often mistaken for Gandhi's given name in the West, is taken from the Sanskrit words maha (meaning Great ) and atma (meaning Soul ). He was publicly bestowed with the honorific title "Mahatma" in July 1914 at farewell meeting in Town Hall, Durban . Rabindranath Tagore is said to have accorded the title to Gandhi by 1915. In his autobiography, Gandhi nevertheless explains that he never valued the title, and was often pained by it. Innumerable streets, roads and localities in India are named after Gandhi. These include M.G.Road (the main street of a number of Indian cities including Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Lucknow, Kanpur, Gangtok and Indore), Gandhi Market (near Sion, Mumbai) and Gandhinagar (the capital of the state of Gujarat , Gandhi's birthplace). As of 2008, over 150 countries released stamps on Gandhi. In October 2019, about 87 countries including Russia , Iran , Turkey , Uzbekistan , Palestine released commemorative Gandhi stamps on 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi. Florian asteroid 120461 Gandhi was named in his honour in September 2020. In October 2022, a statue of Gandhi was installed in Astana on the embankment of the rowing canal, opposite the cult monument to the defenders of Kazakhstan. On 15 December 2022, the United Nations headquarters in New York unveiled the statue of Gandhi. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called Gandhi an "uncompromising advocate for peaceful co-existence". Gandhi was a prolific writer. His signature style was simple, precise, clear and as devoid of artificialities. One of Gandhi's earliest publications, Hind Swaraj , published in Gujarati in 1909, became "the intellectual blueprint" for India's independence movement. The book was translated into English the next year, with a copyright legend that read "No Rights Reserved". For decades he edited several newspapers including Harijan in Gujarati, in Hindi and in the English language; Indian Opinion while in South Africa and, Young India , in English, and Navajivan , a Gujarati monthly, on his return to India. Later, Navajivan was also published in Hindi. In addition, he wrote letters almost every day to individuals and newspapers. Gandhi also wrote several books including his autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth (Gujarātī "સત્યના પ્રયોગો અથવા આત્મકથા") , of which he bought the entire first edition to make sure it was reprinted. His other autobiographies included: Satyagraha in South Africa about his struggle there, Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule , a political pamphlet, and a paraphrase in Gujarati of John Ruskin 's Unto This Last which was an early critique of political economy. This last essay can be considered his programme on economics. He also wrote extensively on vegetarianism, diet and health, religion, social reforms, etc. Gandhi usually wrote in Gujarati, though he also revised the Hindi and English translations of his books. In 1934, he wrote Songs from Prison while prisoned in Yerawada jail in Maharashtra. Gandhi influenced important leaders and political movements. Leaders of the civil rights movement in the United States, including Martin Luther King Jr. , James Lawson , and James Bevel , drew from the writings of Gandhi in the development of their own theories about nonviolence. King said "Christ gave us the goals and Mahatma Gandhi the tactics." King sometimes referred to Gandhi as "the little brown saint." Anti- apartheid activist and former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela , was inspired by Gandhi. Gandhi's life and teachings inspired many who specifically referred to Gandhi as their mentor or who dedicated their lives to spreading Gandhi's ideas. In 1931, physicist Albert Einstein exchanged letters with Gandhi, and called him "a role model for the generations to come" in a letter writing about him. In addition, the British musician John Lennon referred to Gandhi when discussing his views on nonviolence. In 2007, former US Vice-President and environmentalist Al Gore drew upon Gandhi's idea of satyagraha in a speech on climate change. Time magazine named The 14th Dalai Lama , Lech Wałęsa , Martin Luther King Jr. , Cesar Chavez , Aung San Suu Kyi , Benigno Aquino Jr. , Desmond Tutu , and Nelson Mandela as Children of Gandhi and his spiritual heirs to nonviolence. Gandhi's ideas had a significant influence on 20th-century philosophy . Recently in the light of climate change Gandhi's views on technology are gaining importance in the fields of environmental philosophy and philosophy of technology. Time magazine named Gandhi the Man of the Year in 1930. In the same magazine's 1999 list of The Most Important People of the Century, Gandhi was second only to Albert Einstein , who had called Gandhi "the greatest man of our age". The University of Nagpur awarded him an LL.D. in 1937. The Government of India awarded the annual Gandhi Peace Prize to distinguished social workers, world leaders and citizens. Nelson Mandela , the leader of South Africa's struggle to eradicate racial discrimination and segregation, was a prominent non-Indian recipient. In 2011, Gandhi topped the TIME's list of top 25 political icons of all time. When the 14th Dalai Lama was awarded the Prize in 1989, the chairman of the committee said that this was "in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi". In the summer of 1995, the North American Vegetarian Society inducted him posthumously into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame. India, with its rapid economic modernisation and urbanisation, has rejected Gandhi's economics but accepted much of his politics and continues to revere his memory. Reporter Jim Yardley notes that, "modern India is hardly a Gandhian nation, if it ever was one. His vision of a village-dominated economy was shunted aside during his lifetime as rural romanticism, and his call for a national ethos of personal austerity and nonviolence has proved antithetical to the goals of an aspiring economic and military power." By contrast, Gandhi is "given full credit for India's political identity as a tolerant, secular democracy." Gandhi's birthday, 2 October, is a national holiday in India, Gandhi Jayanti. Gandhi's image also appears on paper currency of all denominations issued by Reserve Bank of India , except for the one rupee note. Gandhi's date of death, 30 January, is commemorated as a Martyrs' Day in India. There are three temples in India dedicated to Gandhi. One is located at Sambalpur in Odisha and the second at Nidaghatta village near Kadur in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka and the third one at Chityal in the district of Nalgonda, Telangana . The Gandhi Memorial in Kanyakumari resembles central Indian Hindu temples and the Tamukkam or Summer Palace in Madurai now houses the Mahatma Gandhi Museum. Gandhi's children and grandchildren live in India and other countries. Grandson Rajmohan Gandhi is a professor in Illinois and an author of Gandhi's biography titled Mohandas , while another, Tarun Gandhi, has authored several authoritative books on his grandfather. Another grandson, Kanu Ramdas Gandhi (the son of Gandhi's third son Ramdas), was found living in an old age home in Delhi despite having taught earlier in the United States. Bronze statue of Gandhi commemorating the centenary of the incident at the Pietermaritzburg Railway Station, unveiled by Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Church Street, Pietermaritzburg, in June 1993 Gandhi with the stretcher-bearers of the Indian Ambulance Corps during the Boer War Gandhi and his wife Kasturba (1902) Gandhi photographed in South Africa (1909) Gandhi in 1918, at the time of the Kheda and Champaran Satyagrahas Gandhi with Dr. Annie Besant en route to a meeting in Madras in September 1921. Earlier, in Madurai , on 21 September 1921, Gandhi had adopted the loin-cloth for the first time as a symbol of his identification with India's poor. Gandhi spinning yarn, in the late 1920s Indian workers on strike in support of Gandhi in 1930 Gandhi's first visit to Odisha in 1921, a general meeting held at the riverbed of Kathajodi Gandhi and his personal assistant Mahadev Desai at Birla House, 1939 An admiring East End crowd gathers to witness the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi, 1931 Gandhi talking with Jawaharlal Nehru , his designated political heir, during the drafting of the Quit India Resolution in Bombay, August 1942 Gandhi in 1942, the year he launched the Quit India Movement Gandhi with Muhammad Ali Jinnah in September 1944 Gandhi in 1947, with Louis Mountbatten , Britain's last Viceroy of India, and his wife Edwina Mountbatten Memorial at the location of Gandhi's assassination in 1948. His stylised footsteps lead to the memorial. Gandhi's funeral was marked by millions of Indians. Gandhi with poet Rabindranath Tagore , 1940 Mohandas K. Gandhi and other residents of Tolstoy Farm, South Africa, 1910 Plaque displaying one of Gandhi's quotes on rumour "God is truth. The way to truth lies through ahimsa (nonviolence)" – Sabarmati, 13 March 1927 Gandhi picking salt during Salt Satyagraha to defy colonial law giving salt collection monopoly to the British. His satyagraha attracted vast numbers of Indian men and women. Gandhi's last political protest using fasting, in January 1948 Coverage of the assassination attempt, The Bombay Chronicle , 27 June 1934 List of civil rights leaders This page was last modified on 31 August 2024, at 06:05. Suggest an edit . Essay on Mahatma Gandhi – Contributions and Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi 500+ words essay on mahatma gandhi. Essay on Mahatma Gandhi – Mahatma Gandhi was a great patriotic Indian, if not the greatest. He was a man of an unbelievably great personality. He certainly does not need anyone like me praising him. Furthermore, his efforts for Indian independence are unparalleled. Most noteworthy, there would have been a significant delay in independence without him. Consequently, the British because of his pressure left India in 1947. In this essay on Mahatma Gandhi, we will see his contribution and legacy. Contributions of Mahatma Gandhi First of all, Mahatma Gandhi was a notable public figure. His role in social and political reform was instrumental. Above all, he rid the society of these social evils. Hence, many oppressed people felt great relief because of his efforts. Gandhi became a famous international figure because of these efforts. Furthermore, he became the topic of discussion in many international media outlets. Mahatma Gandhi made significant contributions to environmental sustainability. Most noteworthy, he said that each person should consume according to his needs. The main question that he raised was “How much should a person consume?”. Gandhi certainly put forward this question. Furthermore, this model of sustainability by Gandhi holds huge relevance in current India. This is because currently, India has a very high population . There has been the promotion of renewable energy and small-scale irrigation systems. This was due to Gandhiji’s campaigns against excessive industrial development. Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence is probably his most important contribution. This philosophy of non-violence is known as Ahimsa. Most noteworthy, Gandhiji’s aim was to seek independence without violence. He decided to quit the Non-cooperation movement after the Chauri-Chaura incident . This was due to the violence at the Chauri Chaura incident. Consequently, many became upset at this decision. However, Gandhi was relentless in his philosophy of Ahimsa. Secularism is yet another contribution of Gandhi. His belief was that no religion should have a monopoly on the truth. Mahatma Gandhi certainly encouraged friendship between different religions. Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi has influenced many international leaders around the world. His struggle certainly became an inspiration for leaders. Such leaders are Martin Luther King Jr., James Beve, and James Lawson. Furthermore, Gandhi influenced Nelson Mandela for his freedom struggle. Also, Lanza del Vasto came to India to live with Gandhi. The awards given to Mahatma Gandhi are too many to discuss. Probably only a few nations remain which have not awarded Mahatma Gandhi. In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi was one of the greatest political icons ever. Most noteworthy, Indians revere by describing him as the “father of the nation”. His name will certainly remain immortal for all generations. Essay Topics on Famous Leaders Mahatma Gandhi APJ Abdul Kalam Jawaharlal Nehru Swami Vivekananda Mother Teresa Rabindranath Tagore Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Subhash Chandra Bose Abraham Lincoln Martin Luther King FAQs on Mahatma Gandhi Q.1 Why Mahatma Gandhi decided to stop Non-cooperation movement? A.1 Mahatma Gandhi decided to stop the Non-cooperation movement. This was due to the infamous Chauri-Chaura incident. There was significant violence at this incident. Furthermore, Gandhiji was strictly against any kind of violence. Q.2 Name any two leaders influenced by Mahatma Gandhi? A.2 Two leaders influenced by Mahatma Gandhi are Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela. Customize your course in 30 seconds Which class are you in. Travelling Essay Picnic Essay Our Country Essay My Parents Essay Essay on Favourite Personality Essay on Memorable Day of My Life Essay on Knowledge is Power Essay on Gurpurab Essay on My Favourite Season Essay on Types of Sports Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Download the App Paragraph on Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi’s real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was also called Bapu and known as the father of the nation. He was a great freedom fighter and an Indian political leader. He was well known for his policy of truth and non-violence. Short and Long Paragraphs on Mahatma Gandhi Paragraph 1 – 100 words. Mahatma Gandhi is known as the father of the nation. He was a great freedom fighter. His policy of non-violence played an important role in India’s freedom. He inspired many civil rights movements in India and across the world. The title “Mahatma” was given to him in South Africa in 1914. Mahatma Gandhi was a lawyer by profession. He worked as a lawyer for Indians working in South Africa. He fought for their civil rights and against discrimination. He fought for the voting rights of Indians in Africa. Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in 1915 and became the most popular freedom fighter and political leader. Paragraph 2 – 120 Words Mahatma Gandhi’s real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was also fondly called “Bapu” in India. Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869. His birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti. It is a national holiday and schools and offices are closed. People talk about his contribution to the freedom struggle. Gandhiji was the greatest freedom fighter of all time. Gandhiji was also the President of the Indian National Congress. He fought for women rights, rights of the poor and untouchables. He was the first Indian leader to raise the voice for ‘Swaraj’ or ‘Self Rule’. Throughout his political life, he wore only a simple dhoti made from khadi. He introduced “Charkha” as a revolutionary measure to make the villages self-sustainable. Paragraph 3 – 150 Words Mahatma Gandhi, also called ‘Bapu’ was an Indian political leader and freedom fighter. His popularity earned him the title ‘father of the nation’. He was loved and respected by all religious communities. He fought tirelessly for making India free from the British. Gandhiji was active in Indian politics for over thirty years. He was also known for a simple living style and his ability to undertake long fasts. Before coming to India, Gandhiji was a civil rights activist in South Africa. Gandhi headed the 400 Km Dandi salt march or Namak Satyagraha in 1930. He also formed the ‘Quit India Movement’ in 1942. Many times Gandhiji was put behind bars for his role in the freedom struggle. His policy of ‘truth and non-violence’ was a great hit. It not only inspired freedom movements in India but also across the world. His birthday on 2nd October is also celebrated as the ‘International Day of Nonviolence’. Paragraph 4 – 200 Words Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. His father Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi served as a Diwan (Chief Minister) of the state of Porbandar. As a child, Gandhiji was very playful and restless. His sister described him as always willing to play and roaming around. In his childhood, Gandhiji was greatly influenced by the story of Raja Harishchandra and Shravan Kumar. Harishchandra became his role model and Gandhi had admitted that he tried several times to act on the former’s principles. Gandhiji’s commitment to truth and non-violence was largely inspired by the epic stories of Harishchandra and Shravan Kumar. Gandhiji’s mother Putlibai had also a great influence on his thoughts and beliefs. She was an extremely religious woman who never ate without bathing and performing puja. She told stories of mythological characters to Gandhi. She also undertook fasts continuously for two to three days. Gandhiji also developed an ability to fast, from his mother. Gandhiji’s early schooling was done at Rajkot. He was a shy and mediocre student. He would spend most of his time reading books. Gandhi wanted to become a lawyer and so he went to the Inner Temple in London to study law. Paragraph 5 – 250 Words Mahatma Gandhi was the most popular freedom fighter and political leader of India. He initiated many freedom movements and rallied for the rights of farmers and untouchables. He was the main figure in the Indian freedom struggle. He was so much respected that he was called ‘Bapu’ or ‘father’ in India. He is also called ‘Father of the Nation’. Gandhiji’s fight for the rights of suppressed began in South Africa. On reaching South Africa, he was thrown out of a train, just because of his skin color. That time South Africa was a British colony. Gandhiji fought against the discrimination of Indians and native blacks in South Africa. Gandhiji worked as a popular civil rights activist in South Africa for nearly 21 years. After fighting for Civil Rights in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India in 1915. His popularity in South Africa made him an instant hero in India. Indian politicians started calling him for meetings and gatherings. He soon became a member of the Indian National Congress and later its national president. He was also very close to Jawaharlal Nehru, who became the first Prime Minister of India after independence. Gandhi was a political mentor and advisor of Nehru. There was a time when the two were the most powerful among the cadres of the Indian National Congress. Vowing his policy of non-violence, Gandhiji refused to prevent the hanging of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru. Gandhiji was shot dead on 30th January 1948 at Birla House, New Delhi by Nathuram Godse. Godse thought that Gandhi had been too courteous towards Muslims, both during and after partition. Godse was also disturbed by Gandhiji’s fast unto death, for pressurizing the Indian Government to pay Rs 55 crore to Pakistan. FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions Ans. Mahatma Gandhi’s original name is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Ans. Rabindranath Tagore gave Gandhiji the title of Mahatma. Ans. Subhash Chandra Bose called Mahatma Gandhi Bapu. Ans. Non-cooperation movement, Quit India Movement and Dandi March are some famous movements of Mahatma Gandhi. Ans. Mahatma Gandhi fought against Aparthedism in South Africa. 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TNPSC Group 4 & VAO FREE Test Series - 2017 TNPSC Group 4 and VAO | FREE Test Series | 2022 271 IMAGES Mahatma Gandhi Biography Of Mahatma Gandhi Biography of Mahatma Gandhi: Inspirational Biographies for Children SOLUTION: Mahatma gandhi biography Mahatma Gandhi biography in English Mahatma Gandhi Biography: Birth, Education, Career and Death VIDEO Mahatma Gandhi biography 20 lines on Mahatma Gandhi in english|Mahatma Gandhi 20 lines in english|Essay on Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi Revision class // part Mahatma gandhi biography #biography #bapuji #father of nation MAHATMA GANDHI Mahatma Gandhi || Biography || English Story || Mahatma Gandhi Biography in English || Learn || COMMENTS Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (ISO: Mōhanadāsa Karamacaṁda Gāṁdhī; [c] 2 October 1869 - 30 January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule.He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi (born October 2, 1869, Porbandar, India—died January 30, 1948, Delhi) was an Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the Indian Independence Movement against British rule. As such, he came to be considered the father of his country. Gandhi is internationally esteemed for his doctrine of ... Mohandas Gandhi ‑ Biography, Facts & Beliefs 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 ... Mahatma Gandhi Early Life and Education. Indian nationalist leader Gandhi (born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Kathiawar, India, which was then part of the British Empire. 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 ... The life and work of Mahatma Gandhi 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 ... Mahatma Gandhi Biography Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian political and civil rights leader who played an important role in India's struggle for independence. This essay takes you through his life history, including his philosophy of Satyagraha, non-cooperation, assassination etc. Mahatma Gandhi: Life, Beliefs, and Death of a Famous Spiritual and 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 Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869 - 30 January 1948) was a leader of nationalism in British-ruled India. He is more commonly called Mahatma Gandhi; mahatma is an honorific meaning "great-soul" or "venerable" in Sanskrit. He was first called this in 1914 in South Africa. He is also called Bapu in India (Gujarati ... Mahatma Gandhi Biography: Facts, Life, Education, Principles Facts about Mahatma Gandhi. Full Name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Date of Birth: October 2, 1869. Place of Birth: Porbandar, British India (now Gujarat) Date of Death: January 30, 1948 (aged 78) Place of Death: Delhi, India. Cause of Death: Assassination by Nathuram Godse. Professions: Lawyer, politician, freedom activist, writer. Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on Oct. 2, 1869, in Porbandar, near Bombay. His family belonged to the Hindu merchant caste Vaisya. His father had been prime minister of several small native states. Gandhi was married when he was only 13 years old. When he was 19 he defied custom by going abroad to study. PDF The Story of Gandhi 01. BIRTH & CHILDHOOD. In a small, white-washed house in Porbandar, on the coast of Kathiawad in western India, Mohandas Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869. His parents were Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai. He was small and dark, and looked no different from the millions of other children born in India. Mahatma Gandhi Biography Mahathma Gandhiji Biography. Born : October 2, 1869. Martyrdom: January 30, 1948. Achievements: Known as Father of Nation; played a key role in winning freedom for India; introduced the concept of Ahimsa and Satyagraha. Mahatma Gandhi popularly known as Father of Nation played a stellar role in India's freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi Protests in India. Gandhi returned to India in 1915. Within a few years he became India's most powerful political leader. He led major protests in 1920-22, 1930-34, and 1940-42. Gandhi's followers stopped using British goods. They refused to enter British courts and schools. In 1930 Gandhi led a protest against a British tax on salt. PDF The Story of My Life First Edition, July 1955 This reprint, 15,000 Copies, December 2000 Total : 2,26,000 Copies. The price of this book is subsidised by Navajivan Trust. ISBN 81-7229-055-1. Printed and Published by Jitendra T. Desai Navajivan Mudranalaya, Ahmedabad-380 014. Mahatma Gandhi: Biography, Movements, Facts, Education, History & Family 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 ... Mahatma Gandhi Biography and Political Career 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 ... Mahatma Gandhi : a biography, complete and unabridged Mahatma Gandhi : a biography, complete and unabridged by Nanda, B. R. (Bal Ram), 1917-2010, author. Publication date 1996 Topics ... English Item Size 1.2G . 542 pages ; 22 cm Few men in their lifetime have aroused stronger emotions or touched deeper chords than Gandhi. This widely-acclaimed biography has been established as an authoritative ... Mahatma Gandhi facts for kids Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 into a Gujarati Hindu Modh Bania family in Porbandar, in coastal Gujarat. His father, Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi (1822-1885), served as the dewan (chief minister) of Porbandar state. His family originated from the then village of Kutiana. At age 9, Gandhi entered the local school in ... Mahatma Gandhi: Biography, Movements, Facts, Education ... Mahatma Gandhi: Biography, Movements, Facts, Education, History & Family. Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, was an anti-colonial nationalist who embraced non-violence as a tool to attain freedom for his motherland. A staunch believer in non-violence and truth, he began and continued a resistance campaign against the British till the end. Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 500+ Words Essay on Mahatma Gandhi. Essay on Mahatma Gandhi - Mahatma Gandhi was a great patriotic Indian, if not the greatest. He was a man of an unbelievably great personality. He certainly does not need anyone like me praising him. Furthermore, his efforts for Indian independence are unparalleled. Most noteworthy, there would have been a ... Short and Long Paragraph on Mahatma Gandhi in English for Students Paragraph 1 - 100 Words. Mahatma Gandhi is known as the father of the nation. He was a great freedom fighter. His policy of non-violence played an important role in India's freedom. He inspired many civil rights movements in India and across the world. The title "Mahatma" was given to him in South Africa in 1914. Harilal Gandhi Harilal was born on 23 August 1888, just before his father left for England for higher studies. [3] Harilal remained in India with his mother Harilal was involved in the Indian independence movement, and was imprisoned as a satyagrahi six times between 1908 and 1911. [4] His willingness to endure these sentences earned him the nickname of 'Chhote (Little) Gandhi'. Biography of Mahatma Gandhi Questions on the Biography of Mahatma Gandhi TNPSC Books (New Batch) Integrated Online Live Coaching Class | Group 1, 2 & 2A, 3, 4 & VAO ₹ 6,000.00 - ₹ 14,850.00 assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis