Minn new thein biography of mahatma
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His father’s name was Karamchand Gandhi and his mother’s name was Putlibai. An example of this can be seen in India's western city of Ahmadabad where two kite-makers have been working towards spreading communal harmony through messages scripted on their kites. Mahatma Gandhi was the son of his father's fourth wife Putlibai, who belonged to an affluent Vaishnava family.
Gandhi Jayanti is a reminder to salute his eternal spirit and the applicability of his ideas in today`s world at large.
Mahatma Gandhi’s Biography and Key Factual Information
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi |
| Known As | Mahatma Gandhi, “Father of the Nation” |
| Date of Birth | 2 October 1869 |
| Place of Birth | Porbandar, Gujarat, India |
| Father | Karamchand (Kaba) Gandhi |
| Mother | Putlibai Gandhi |
| Spouse | Kasturba (Kasturbai) Kapadia (married in 1883) |
| Children | Four sons: Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, Devdas |
| Education | Samaldas College (Bhavnagar), Law studies at Inner Temple, London (1888–1891) |
| Major Influences | Raichand Bhai (spiritual), Gopal Krishna Gokhale (political), Leo Tolstoy, John Ruskin, Bible, Bhagavad Gita |
| Early Career | Lawyer in Bombay and Rajkot (1891–1893) |
| Time in South Africa | 1893–1914: Law practice, Indian rights activism, Natal Indian Congress, Indian Opinion (weekly journal founded in 1904) |
| Return to India | January 1915 |
| Major Movements | Champaran Satyagraha (1917), Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918), Kheda Satyagraha (1918), Non-Cooperation (1920), Dandi March/Salt Satyagraha (1930), Quit India Movement (1942) |
| Satyagraha Concept | Principle of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience |
| Imprisonments | Multiple terms both in South Africa and India |
| Associations | Indian National Congress (President, 1924), All India Home Rule League |
| Literary Works | Hind Swaraj (1909), Autobiography: “The Story of My Experiments with Truth”, Young India, Navjivan (editor) |
| Revival Efforts | Village industries, Khadi movement, removal of untouchability |
| Death | 30 January 1948, assassinated by Nathuram Godse at Birla House, Delhi |
| Legacy & Memorial | Gandhi Jayanti – India’s national holiday (2 October), International Day of Non-Violence (UN) |
| Referred As | Bapu (Father), Mahatma (“Great Soul”), “Father of the Nation” |
Gandhi’s Role in India’s Freedom Struggle
- Mahatma Gandhi shaped the entire history of India under a system in which Indian freedom itself became a mass movement for truth and non-violence.
- His first important intervention was the Champaran Satyagraha (1917) to redress the grievances of indigo cultivators, followed by the Kheda Satyagraha (1918) to support peasants against unjust taxation, and the Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918) to stand with industrial workers.
- Through these struggles, the methods of satyagraha were established.
Government-launched Gandhi statues and Gandhi Vatika aim to inspire the populace.
- Commemorative Events and Campaigns: Mass Swachhata pledge drives and awareness campaigns are conducted to provide an annual social-interface during Gandhi Jayanti and various other noteworthy occasions, bridging the lack of exposure among people regarding Gandhian philosophy.
Global and International Initiatives
- UN International Day of Non-Violence: The entire world pays homage to Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti to remember his teachings and to spread the message of peace and non-violence through discussions and panels at the UN and elsewhere.
- Global Gandhi Network: From worldwide Gandhian institutes and activists connected under one platform together for trust, non-violence, justice, and peace through coordination.
- Cultural and Educational Programs: Various NGOs, educational institutions, and governments around the world celebrate Gandhi’s memory through conferences, exhibitions, and peace initiatives predicated on his principles.
- Influence on Global Leaders: The principles of Gandhi still inspire many leaders and movements in defense of human rights, conflict resolutions, and sustainable developments.
Jointly, these initiatives promote the vision of Gandhi toward social justice, ethical leadership, non-violence, and the expansion of inclusive growth in India and the world over.
Way Forward
The way forward is to revive Gandhi’s principles of truth, non-violence, and inclusiveness in present-day situations.
Later, Bhagavad Gita set an impression and influenced his life.
Top 55 Mahatma Gandhi Quotes for Inspiration and Motivation
Mahatma Gandhi: In South Africa
In May 1893 he went to South Africa to work as a lawyer. There he had a first-hand experience of racial discrimination when he was thrown out of the first-class apartment of the train despite holding the first-class ticket because it was reserved for white people only and no Indian or black was allowed to travel in the first class.
Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha was based on true principles and non-violence.
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. They make kites with messages of harmony written over them. At the age of 13, Mahatma Gandhi was married to Kasturba which is an arranged marriage. His ideology of truth and non-violence influenced many and was also adopted by Martin Luther and Nelson Mandela for their struggle movement.
Top 60 Mahatma Gandhi Quotes for Inspiration and Motivation
Mahatma Gandhi Biography
- Full Name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
- Born: 2 October 1869
- Place of Birth: Porbandar, (Kathiawar region), in present Gujarat, India
- Died: 30 January 1948
- Place of Death: New Delhi, India
- Cause of Death: Assassination — he was shot by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu extremist.
- Father: Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi (often referred to simply as Karamchand Gandhi)
- Mother: Putlibai Gandhi (née Putlibai)
- Nationality: Indian (under British rule during his lifetime)
- Spouse: Kasturba Gandhi (Kasturbai)
- Children: Harilal Gandhi, Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi, and Devdas Gandhi
- Professions / Roles / Activities: Lawyer (trained in law, practiced in South Africa and India) ; Political leader / Statesman (leader of Indian independence movement); Social reformer / Activist (championed nonviolence, civil rights, social justice); Writer / Author (he wrote extensively — including his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth)
In South Africa for about 20 years, Mahatma Gandhi protested against injustices and racial discrimination using the non-violent method of protests.
He spread the message of swaraj and taught Indians how to become independent.
5 Facts About Mahatma Gandhi
- According to Britannica, "The United Nations declared Gandhi's birthday, October 2nd, as the International Day of Non-violence in 2007."
- While the world knows him as Mahatma Gandhi, a beacon of nonviolent resistance and Indian independence, his journey began with a more humble name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
He also led Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, Swaraj, and Quit-India movement against the British government.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact
Mahatma Gandhi: Satyagraha
Gandhi identified his overall method of non-violent action as Satyagraha. In London, he also joined a Vegetarian Society and was introduced to Bhagavad Gita by some of his vegetarian friends.
The Quit India Movement (1942) offered the unwavering resolve of “Do or Die,” demanding immediate British withdrawal.
- Gandhi united the whole of rural and urban India, peasants, and elites, converting freedom into a common national aspiration.
- His role shaped the moral and political foundation of India’s independence movement.
Read our detailed article on Rise of Gandhi.
Core Gandhian Ideologies
Truth (Satya) and Non-Violence (Ahimsa)
- For Gandhi, truth was the ultimate reality, and non-violence was the practical expression of this.
On Gandhi Jayanti, the relevance of the values lies in the present world as pertinent values for harmony, ethical governance, resource sustainability, and inclusive growth.
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- 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.
Thereafter, Gandhi started the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22), getting millions into its fold to boycott British goods and institutions.
- The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930), the historic Dandi March at its center, defied salt laws directly. Their collection also comprises kites with speeches by India's iconic freedom leader Mahatma Gandhi, philosopher-thinker Swami Vivekananda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and social activist Anna Hazare.
His simplistic lifestyle won him, admirers, both in India and the outside world. Gandhiji was also influenced by this ancient book. Despite opposition from his community, he vowed not to touch wine, women, or meat while abroad and sailed to England in September 1888.