Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
- Born:
- October 2, 1869, Porbandar, British India
- Died:
- January 30, 1948, New Delhi, India
- Nationality:
- Indian
- Profession(s):
- Lawyer, Anti-Colonial Nationalist, Political Ethicist
Early Life and Education
- Born into a Gujarati Hindu Modh Bania family.
- Studied law at University College London.
- Admitted to the Inner Temple and called to the bar in June 1891.
Career and Major Achievements
- Practiced law in South Africa, where he faced racial discrimination, leading him to develop his philosophy of Satyagraha.
- Returned to India in 1915 and became a leader in the Indian nationalist movement.
- Led numerous nonviolent campaigns against British rule, including the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922) and the Salt Satyagraha (1930).
- Played a key role in India's independence from British rule in 1947.
Notable Works
- Hind Swaraj (1909)
- An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments with Truth. While not formally titled 'mahatma gandhi autobiography in letter form', many of his early writings shared characteristics of epistolary narratives, deeply influencing his autobiography and other works.
- Numerous articles and essays published in Young India and Harijan.
Legacy and Impact
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent resistance, Satyagraha, influenced movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. He is considered the Father of the Nation in India, and his birthday is commemorated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday.
Significant Contributions
- Developed and practiced Satyagraha, a philosophy and method of nonviolent resistance.
- Championed Indian independence and the cause of the underprivileged.
- Promoted self-sufficiency and rural development through the Swadeshi movement.
- Inspired countless individuals and movements dedicated to peace and social justice.