Suh do ho biography of mahatma gandhi
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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 promised an early realization of self Government in India. He decided to fight for the rights of Indians.
Along with his wife, Kasturbai, and their children, Gandhi remained in South Africa for nearly 20 years.
Did you know?
In the famous Salt March of April-May 1930, thousands of Indians followed Gandhi from Ahmadabad to the Arabian Sea. The march resulted in the arrest of nearly 60,000 people, including Gandhi himself.
Gandhi was appalled by the discrimination he experienced as an Indian immigrant in South Africa.
At the end of 3 days both the parties agreed on arbitration. British Government wanted India's help in the war and Congress in return wanted a clear-cut promise of independence from British government. 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.
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 Maritzburg station he was pushed out from first class compartment of the train because he was ‘coloured’ Shivering in cold and sitting in the waiting room of Maritzburg station, he decided that it was cowardice to run away instead he would fight for his rights.
The importance of moral and ethical issues raised by him, however, remain central to the future of individuals and nations. Gandhiji returned to Rajkot but here also he could not make much headway.
He founded Indian Opinion, his first journal, in 1904 to promote the interests of Indians in South Africa. 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.
Gandhiji landed at Durban and soon he realized the oppressive atmosphere of racial snobbishness against Indians who were settled in South Africa in large numbers. 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.
In Indian history, he is considered the most prominent personality and as the simplest person who wears a dhoti. Born in 1869, Mohandas' life took a pivotal turn when he encountered the title that would forever shape his legacy: Mahatma.
- In 1883, at the tender age of 13, Mohandas Gandhi's life took a significant turn when he was arranged to marry Kasturba Makhanji, who was also 13 at the time.
- In 1930, the world watched with bated breath as India's independence movement gained momentum under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.
Unfortunately, political developments had moved favouring the partition of the country resulting in communal riots on a frightful scale. 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.
His father died in 1885. Many Indians renounced their titles and honours, lawyers gave up their practice and students left colleges and schools. Gandhiji fasted in support of workers. No doubt, he also improved the lives of India's poor people.