Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
- Born:
- October 2, 1869, Porbandar, British India
- Died:
- January 30, 1948, New Delhi, India
- Nationality:
- Indian
- Profession(s):
- Lawyer, Anti-colonial Nationalist, Political Ethicist
Early Life and Education
- Born into a Hindu Modh Bania family in Porbandar, Gujarat.
- Father, Karamchand Gandhi, served as Diwan (chief minister) of Porbandar state.
- Mother, Putlibai, was deeply religious.
- Studied law at Inner Temple, London, from 1888 to 1891.
- Admitted to the English Bar and subsequently enrolled in the High Court of London.
Career and Major Achievements
- Practiced law in India and later in South Africa.
- Developed and employed Satyagraha, a philosophy of non-violent resistance, in South Africa to fight discrimination against Indians.
- Returned to India in 1915 and became a leader in the Indian National Congress.
- Led major campaigns for Indian independence, including the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922) and the Salt Satyagraha (1930).
- Advocated for self-sufficiency, including the promotion of Khadi (homespun cloth).
- Played a crucial role in India achieving independence from British rule in 1947.
Notable Works
- Hind Swaraj (1909)
- An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments with Truth (1927)
- Numerous articles and essays published in Young India and Harijan.
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Legacy and Impact
- Considered the Father of the Nation in India.
- His philosophy of Satyagraha influenced civil rights and freedom movements worldwide, including those led by Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
- Remains an icon of non-violent resistance and social justice.
- His birthday, October 2, is celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence.