Mahatma Gandhi

                                Mahatma Gandhi

Who is the Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi. His Birthplace was in the small city of Porbandar in Gujrat ( 2 October 1869 - 30 January 1948 ). Mahatma Gandhi's father's name was Karamchand Gandhi, and his father, Karamchand Gandhi (1822-1855), served as the dewan (chief minister)of Porbandar state. his mother's name was Pultibai Gandhi. He was a politician, social activist, Indian lawyer, and writer who became the prominent leader of the nationwide surge movement against the British rule of India. He came to be known as the father of the Nation . 2 October is celebrated worldwide as International Day of Non-Violence, and Gandhi Jayanti in India. Gandhi Ji was a living embodiment of non-violent protests ( Satyagraha ) to achieve independence from the British Empire's clutches and thereby achieve political and social progress. Gandhi Ji was considered ' The Great Soul' or 'Mahatma ' in the eyes of millions of his followers worldwide. His fame spread throughout the world during his lifetime and only increased after his demise. Mahatma Gandhi is the most renowned person on earth.

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. At the age of 11, he went to a high school in Rajkot. Because of his wedding, at least about one year, his studies were disturbed and later he joined and completed his schooling. He joined Samaldas College in Bhavnagar in 1888 in Gujarat. Later, one of his family friends Mavji Dave Joshi pursued further studies i.e. law in London. Gandhiji was not satisfied with his studies at Samaldas College so he became excited by the London proposal and managed to convince his mother and wife that he would not touch non-veg, wine, or women.

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. This incident had a serious effect on him and he decided to protest against racial discrimination. He further observed that this type of incident was quite common against his fellow Indians.

Mahatma Gandhi: Role in the Indian Independence Movement

In 1915, Gandhi Ji returned to India Permanently and joined the Indian National Congress with Gopal Krishan Gokhale as his mentor. Gandhi's first major achievement was in 1918 when he led the Champaran and Kheda agitations of Bihar and Gujarat. He also led a non-cooperation movement, civil disobedience movement, swaraj, and quit-Indian movement against the British government.

Mahatma Gandhi: Literary works  

Gandhi was a Prolific writer. 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.

Mahatma Gandhi: Awards

• In 1930, Gandhi was named the man of the year by the Time Magazine.

•  In 2011, Time Magazine  Gandhi was 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. Nelson Mandela, the        leader of South Africa's struggle against apartheid was a recipient of the              awards. 

Mahatma Gandhi Death

At 5:17 pm on 30 January 1948, Gandhi was with his grandnieces in the garden of Birala house ( now Gandhi Smriti ), on his way to address a prayer meeting, when Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist, fired 3 bullets into his chest from a pistol at close range.  Gandhi died instantly. As one prepared by an eyewitness journalist,  Gandhi was carried into Birla's house, into a bedroom. there he died about 30 minutes later as one of Gandhi's family members read verses from Hindu scriptures.