Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of the Indian Nation

1. Early Life and Education

• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, fondly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat.
• His father, Karamchand Gandhi, served as the Diwan (Prime Minister) of Porbandar, and his mother, Putlibai, was a deeply religious woman who instilled Hindu principles in young Gandhi.

2. Journey to England

• In 1888, Gandhi embarked on a journey to England to study law at University College, London.
• This educational sojourn laid the foundation for his future activism.

3. South Africa and Early Activism

• In 1893, Gandhi went to South Africa to work as a legal adviser for an Indian firm.
• Witnessing the racial discrimination against Indians and blacks by European whites in South Africa deeply affected him.

4. Resisting Injustice

• Gandhi became a victim of racial abuse, like being thrown out of a first-class train compartment, which ignited his resolve to fight for the Indian community's rights.
• He organized expatriate Indians in South Africa and initiated protests against the injustices perpetrated by the African government.

5. Triumph in South Africa

• After years of non-violent resistance and civil disobedience, Gandhi succeeded in pressuring the South African government to agree to his demands.
• In 1914, an agreement was reached, marking a significant victory.

6. Return to India

• In 1915, Gandhi returned to India, where he embarked on a journey across the nation to witness the British regime's atrocities.

7. The Champion of Satyagraha

• He founded the Satyagraha Ashram and skillfully employed the principles of Satyagraha in uniting the peasants of Kheda and Champaran against the government.
• These victories earned Gandhi the titles of "Bapu" and "Mahatma," gaining widespread fame.

8. The Non-Cooperation Movement

• In 1921, Gandhi initiated the non-cooperation movement, calling for mass protests against British rule with the goal of achieving Swaraj (independence).
• However, due to mob violence in Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh, he had to suspend the movement temporarily.

9. The Dandi March

• In 1930, Gandhi returned to the forefront of the Indian freedom movement and launched the historic Dandi March on March 12, 1930, to protest the tax on salt.
• This movement evolved into a significant civil disobedience campaign.

10. Quit India Movement

• In 1942, as World War II was underway, Gandhi called for the Quit India movement on August 8, 1942, demanding immediate British withdrawal from India.

11. Struggle for Independence

• After the war, as the Labour Party came to power in England, the new government assured Indian leaders of imminent independence.
• However, the Cabinet Mission proposed the partition of India along communal lines, which Gandhi resisted but eventually had to accept.

12. The Path to Unity

• Gandhi advocated for communal harmony and tirelessly worked to foster unity among Hindus and Muslims.
• His benevolence in seeking unity, however, angered Hindu fundamentalists.

13. Tragic Assassination

• On January 13, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic named Nathuram Godse.
• His death was a great loss to the nation, but his principles and legacy lived on.

Mahatma Gandhi's Philosophy

• Truth: Gandhi upheld truth as the highest virtue, a principle to be embraced throughout one's life.
• Satyagraha: He promoted mass civil obedience as a means to resist British oppression during the Indian freedom movement.
• Nonviolence (Ahimsa): Mahatma advocated for total nonviolence as a core principle in the struggle for Indian independence.
• Khadi: Gandhi's embrace of Khadi served as an economic tool against British industrial power and a means of generating rural employment in India.