Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, India.
Gandhi was born into a Hindu family of the merchant caste, and his father served as the chief minister of Porbandar.
After completing his early education in India, Gandhi went to London in 1888 to study law at University College London.
After completing his law studies, Gandhi returned to India and began practicing law in Bombay (now Mumbai).
In 1915, Gandhi was invited to return to India by the Indian National Congress, which was seeking his leadership in the struggle for independence from British colonial rule.
Gandhi became one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement, using nonviolent civil disobedience and peaceful protest as his tactics.
Gandhi’s first major campaign of nonviolent resistance was against the British-imposed salt tax, which he protested by leading a 240-mile march to the Arabian Sea to make salt in violation of the law.
In 1930, Gandhi launched the Salt Satyagraha, a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience in which thousands of Indians broke the salt laws by making their own salt and protesting peacefully against the British authorities.
Gandhi also fought against untouchability, the practice of caste-based discrimination against people from lower castes, and worked to promote religious harmony and unity between Hindus and Muslims.
In 1942, Gandhi launched the Quit India movement, calling for the immediate end of British colonial rule and the establishment of Indian independence.
Gandhi was arrested by the British authorities several times throughout his life and spent a total of seven years in prison.
Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence, or ahimsa, was influenced by his study of Indian religious and philosophical traditions, including Jainism, Buddhism, and the Bhagavad Gita.
Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence also influenced other civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
Gandhi’s advocacy for nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience also inspired the global peace movement and the development of the concept of nonviolent conflict resolution.
In addition to his political activism, Gandhi was also an advocate for social reform and worked to improve conditions for women, peasants, and other marginalized groups in Indian society.
Gandhi promoted the use of traditional Indian spinning and weaving techniques as a way of promoting economic self-sufficiency and reducing dependence on British-made textiles.
Gandhi also worked to promote education and literacy in India, believing that education was essential for social and economic progress.
Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist who opposed Gandhi’s advocacy for religious tolerance and his vision of a secular, democratic India.
Gandhi’s legacy continues to inspire social and political movements around the world, with his ideas about nonviolence, civil disobedience, and social justice remaining as relevant today as they were during his lifetime.
Gandhi’s birthday, October 2, is celebrated as a national holiday in India and is also observed as the International Day of Nonviolence by the United Nations.
Gandhi’s life and teachings have been the subject of numerous books, films, and other works of art, including Richard Attenborough’s 1982 film “Gandhi.”
Gandhi’s autobiography, “The Story of My Experiments with Truth,” is a classic of modern Indian literature and is widely read and admired around the world.
Gandhi’s famous quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” has become a guiding principle for individuals and social movements around the world.
