Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (known as Mahatma, meaning “Great Soul”) 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. His philosophy of Satyagraha (truth force) has inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the globe.
Key Biographical Information
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi |
| Born | October 2, 1869, Porbandar, Gujarat, British India |
| Died | January 30, 1948 (aged 78), New Delhi, India |
| Cause of Death | Assassination (shot by Nathuram Godse) |
| Title/Nickname | Mahatma (“Great Soul”), Father of the Nation (Bapu) |
| Spouse | Kasturba Makhanji Kapadia (married 1883) |
| Children | Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, Devdas |
| Profession | Lawyer, Political Ethicist, Social Reformer |
| Key Ideology | Satyagraha (Truth Force), Ahimsa (Non-Violence) |
Early Life, Education, and South Africa
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Birth and Early Influences: Born into a Hindu family in coastal Gujarat, Gandhi was deeply influenced by the ethical values of his mother, Putlibai, including devotion to Vaishnavism (worship of Vishnu) and the tenets of Jainism, which emphasizes ahimsa (non-violence). He was married at the age of 13 to Kasturba Makhanji Kapadia.
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Legal Education: Gandhi left for London in 1888 to study law at the Inner Temple, where he was called to the bar in 1891.
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South African Turning Point (1893–1915): In 1893, he moved to South Africa to work as a legal counsel. Here, he was subjected to racial discrimination, most famously being thrown off a train for refusing to move from the first-class compartment. This pivotal experience led him to develop and implement his philosophy of non-violent resistance, which he called Satyagraha. He founded the Natal Indian Congress in 1894 to fight for the rights of Indian immigrants.
Leader of Indian Independence (1915-1947)
Gandhi returned to India permanently in 1915 and joined the Indian National Congress, where he was mentored by political leader Gopal Krishna Gokhale. He transformed the nationalist movement from an elite-led organization into a mass struggle through the following key campaigns:
| Movement | Year | Significance |
| Champaran & Kheda Satyagraha | 1917–1918 | His first major successes in India, fighting for farmers against exploitative land and tax systems. |
| Non-Cooperation Movement | 1920–1922 | Encouraged Indians to boycott British goods, institutions (schools, courts), and titles, promoting self-reliance (Swadeshi). |
| Salt March (Dandi March) | 1930 | A 240-mile non-violent march to the sea to illegally produce salt, defying the oppressive British salt tax. This catalyzed the wider Civil Disobedience Movement. |
| Quit India Movement | 1942 | Launched a mass protest demanding an immediate end to British rule in India, resulting in mass arrests of leaders and demonstrators. |
Philosophy of Satyagraha
Gandhi’s greatest contribution to the world was his philosophy of Satyagraha, often translated as “truth force” or “soul force.” It is an unwavering commitment to truth (Satya) achieved through non-violence (Ahimsa).
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Ahimsa (Non-Violence): Ahimsa, the core of his philosophy, meant refraining from causing harm to any living being—physically, mentally, or verbally. He viewed it not as a passive weapon of the weak, but as a courageous and active force for change.
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Swadeshi (Self-Reliance): The promotion of local, self-sufficient industry, famously symbolized by the Charkha (spinning wheel) and the hand-spun cloth Khadi. He believed true independence (Swaraj) required economic freedom.
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Sarvodaya (Welfare of All): His vision of a society based on equality, justice, and the upliftment of all people, particularly the marginalized. He tirelessly campaigned against the practice of Untouchability, referring to the lowest castes as Harijans (Children of God).
Partition and Assassination
Despite leading India to independence, Gandhi was deeply troubled by the violent Partition of India in 1947, which divided the subcontinent into India and Pakistan and resulted in immense communal violence between Hindus and Muslims.
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Final Years: He dedicated his final months to fostering peace and unity between the religious communities, undertaking fasts to pressure leaders to alleviate the strife.
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Assassination: On January 30, 1948, Mohandas Gandhi was assassinated at Birla House in New Delhi by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist who was opposed to Gandhi’s efforts to ensure fair treatment for India’s Muslim population.
Legacy
Gandhi is recognized worldwide as an icon of peace and civil rights. His methods of non-violent resistance and civil disobedience heavily influenced global figures and movements, including:
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the American Civil Rights Movement.
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Nelson Mandela in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.
His birthday, October 2nd, is celebrated globally as the International Day of Nonviolence.