Shayne higson biography of mahatma gandhi

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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. Nearly 23 thousand people were imprisoned that year. In South Africa, Mohandas tasted bitter experience of racial discrimination during his journey from Durban to Pretoria, where his presence was required in connection with a lawsuit.

Gandhi organized a march from New Castle to Transvaal without permit and courting arrest. He also started Swadeshi movement, advocating the use of commodities made in the country. On a train voyage to Pretoria, he was thrown out of a first-class railway compartment and beaten up by a white stagecoach driver after refusing to give up his seat for a European passenger.

He passed his examinations and was called to Bar on June 10, 1891. Unfortunately, political developments had moved favouring the partition of the country resulting in communal riots on a frightful scale. 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.

We can still derive inspiration from the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi who wanted us to remember the age old saying, “In spite of death, life persists, and in spite of hatred, love persists.” Rabindranath Tagore addressed him as ‘Mahatma’ and the latter called the poet “Gurudev’.

shayne higson biography of mahatma gandhi

However, the violence broke out; Gandhiji had to suspend the movement as people were not disciplined enough. At the age of 13 Gandhi married Kasturba, a girl the same age. The greatest of these is his Satyagraha.

Mahatma Gandhi Biography: Family, Education, History, Movements, and Facts

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, or Mahatma Gandhi, was a renowned freedom activist and an authoritative or powerful political leader who played an essential role in India's struggle for independence against British rule of India.

That train journey served as a turning point for Gandhi, and he soon began developing and teaching the concept of satyagraha (“truth and firmness”), or passive resistance, as a way of non-cooperation with authorities.

The Birth of Passive Resistance

In 1906, after the Transvaal government passed an ordinance regarding the registration of its Indian population, Gandhi led a campaign of civil disobedience that would last for the next eight years.

Meanwhile, some of his party colleagues–particularly Mohammed Ali Jinnah, a leading voice for India’s Muslim minority–grew frustrated with Gandhi’s methods, and what they saw as a lack of concrete gains. Gandhi was arrested many times by the British for his activities in South Africa and India. His birthday is celebrated every year as Gandhi Jayanti.

This non-cooperation movement was the first nationwide movement on national scale. Thereafter 10 days after arrival, he joined the Inner Temple, one of the four London law colleges, and studied and practiced law. He further observed that this type of incident was quite common against his fellow Indians who were derogatorily referred to as coolies.

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On 22 May 1894 Gandhi established the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and worked hard to improve the rights of Indians in South Africa.

In fact the Boer War (1898-1900) established the supremacy of the British over the Dutch (Boers) and eventually led to the Union of South Africa. 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. At the age of 11, he went to a high school in Rajkot.

Gandhiji was against the partition and chose to be with the victims of riots in East Bengal and Bihar.