Mahatma Gandhi, born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India, became one of the most influential figures in the Indian independence movement.
He became famous for his support of the nonviolent resistance movement, known as Satyagraha, which played a key role in India’s liberation from British rule.
Gandhi’s commitment to civil rights and justice made him a leader in India and a symbol of peace around the world and resistance against oppression.
He led several important movements, including the Salt March and the Quit India Movement, which are now important chapters in history books.
File
- Full name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
- Nickname: Mahatma (“Great Soul”)
- Date of birth: October 2, 1869
- Age: Died at the age of 78
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Porbandar, Gujarat, India
- Nationality: Indian
- Occupation: Lawyer, Political leader, Social activist
- Height: 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm)
- Parents: Karamchand Gandhi, Putlibai Gandhi
- Siblings: Three brothers and one sister
- Spouse: Kasturba Gandhi
- Children: Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, Devdas
- Relationship status: Married (Kasturba Gandhi until her death in 1944)
- Religion: Hinduism
- Ethnicity: Gujarati, Vaishnava Hindu
- Net worth: N/A (Mahatma Gandhi lived a modest life, renouncing material possessions)
Early life and education
Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India. By 2024, Gandhi will be 155 years old.
His father, Karamchand Gandhi, was a local political leader, and his mother, Putlibai, was a deeply religious person, following the tradition of Vaishnavism interwoven with the principles of nonviolence and simplicity of Jainism. .
Gandhi grew up in an environment that emphasized piety, and this early education profoundly shaped his moral and spiritual views.
Gandhi studied at Porbandar and Rajkot before attending University College London in 1888 to study law.
He completed his studies in 1891 and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple. Gandhi returned to India but had difficulty establishing a legal career, which led him to take up a post in South Africa in 1893.
Personal life
At the age of 13, Gandhi married Kasturba Gandhi, which was in accordance with Indian customs at that time. The couple has four children: Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas and Devdas.
Kasturba stood by Gandhi throughout his political campaigns and even supported him during his many imprisonments. They shared a deep bond, although their marriage faced many challenges due to Gandhi’s long absence and his later vow of celibacy. Gandhi and Kasturba remained married until her death in 1944.
Gandhi was known to lead an austere lifestyle focused on truth, simplicity, and nonviolence, which influenced his relationships.
Career
Gandhi’s career took shape when he moved to South Africa in 1893 to work as a lawyer. It was here that he first encountered racism, which transformed him from a lawyer into a social activist.
His campaigns against racial injustice in South Africa laid the foundation for his future strategies of nonviolent resistance.
Upon returning to India in 1915, Gandhi took up the cause of Indian independence. His early campaigns, including the Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 and the Kheda Satyagraha of 1918, were pivotal in catapulting him onto the national stage as a mass leader.
Gandhi’s most iconic campaigns included the Salt March of 1930, protesting the British salt tax, and the Quit India Movement of 1942, demanding an immediate end to British rule.
His nonviolent methods inspired civil rights movements worldwide, earning him the title “Father of the Nation” in India. His moral commitment to nonviolence and the power of peaceful protest defined his career.
Net worth
Gandhi lived an ascetic life, renouncing personal and material possessions.
Although no financial estimates apply to his wealth, his influence and legacy are invaluable to the global civil rights movement.
Death
Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948 in New Delhi by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist who opposed Gandhi’s efforts towards Hindu-Muslim unity.
His death sent shockwaves around the world and millions of people, including global leaders, mourned him.
Many people attended Gandhi’s funeral and his ashes were released into rivers across India.
Argumentative
Throughout his life, Gandhi was the subject of both admiration and controversy. His philosophy of nonviolence and inclusion clashed with radical factions within the Indian independence movement.
Many young nationalists, including Subhas Chandra Bose, criticized him for not taking a more aggressive stand against the British.
Furthermore, Gandhi’s relationship with the Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was fraught with tension, especially over the issue of Partition.
Some see Gandhi’s emphasis on Hindu-Muslim unity as favoring one over the other, and he is blamed for India’s eventual partition into two nations, India and India. Pakistan.
Gandhi also faced criticism for his views on social issues. His efforts to eradicate untouchability were questioned by leaders in the Dalit community, such as BR Ambedkar, who believed that Gandhi’s approach was too moderate and failed to address grievances. deep caste system.
Gandhi’s practices of strict diet and celibacy were closely monitored in his personal life. He maintained controversial views on sex and conducted experiments in self-restraint, including sharing a bed with young women to test his vow of celibacy. These experiments were widely criticized both during his lifetime and in modern times.
Social Media
Book
- The Story of My Experiments with Truth (1927)
- Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule (1909)
- Satyagraha in South Africa (1924)
- Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi (1942)
