Shizuka yokomizo biography of mahatma gandhi
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Influenced by John Ruskin’s Unto This Last, he set up Phoenix Ashram near Durban, where inmates did manual labour and lived a community living.
Gandhiji organized a protest in 1906 against unfair Asiatic Regulation Bill of 1906. 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”).
Upon returning to India, he struggled to find work as a lawyer and eventually accepted a position in South Africa. Growing up in a Hindu family, Gandhi was heavily influenced by his devout mother and the teachings of Jainism, a religion that promotes non-violence and compassion towards all living beings. On 15 August 1947, when India became independent, free from the British rule, Gandhiji fasted and prayed in Calcutta.
On 30th January 1948, Gandhiji, on his way to the prayer meeting at Birla House, New Delhi, fell to the bullets fired by Nathuram Vinayak Godse.
As observed by Louis Fischer, “Millions in all countries mourned Gandhi’s death as a personal loss.
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.
Leader of a Movement
As part of his nonviolent non-cooperation campaign for home rule, Gandhi stressed the importance of economic independence for India.
Gandhi's education began at a local primary school and later continued in Rajkot, where he excelled in academics but struggled with social interactions. Same year in 1918, Gandhiji led a Satyagraha for the peasants of Kheda in Gujarat.
In 1919, he called for Civil Disobedience against Rowlatt Bill.
Though he called himself a ‘mediocre student’, he gave evidence of his reasoning, intelligence, deep faith in the principles of truth and discipline at very young age. His methods inspired various leaders, and youth not only in India but also outside of India. 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.
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. At the age of 19, Gandhi left for London to study law and was exposed to new ideas and philosophies that would greatly influence his later beliefs.
Through his use of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience, Gandhi led the Indian independence movement against British rule in the early 20th century. He supported the British war effort in World War I but remained critical of colonial authorities for measures he felt were unjust. In September 1932, Gandhiji faced the complex issue of the British rulers agreeing for the separate electorates for untouchables.
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.
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.
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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.
He broke the law, which had deprived the poor man of his right to make salt .This simple act was immediately followed by a nation-wide defiance of the law. Subhash Chandra Bose had called him ‘Father of the Nation’ in his message on Hind Azad Radio.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, at Porbandar, a small town in Gujarat, on the sea coast of Western India.
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.
We will also take a closer look at his beliefs and principles, which continue to hold relevance in today's society. His belief in nonviolent resistance and his dedication to fighting for justice and equality have left a lasting impression on the world. 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.