Quick answerMahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) was an Indian political leader. Mahatma Gandhi is best known for Leading India to independence, Nonviolent resistance (satyagraha), The Salt March of 1930, Civil disobedience campaigns and Inspiring civil rights movements worldwide. Born in Porbandar, Kathiawar Agency, British Raj. His marches, fasts and boycotts inspired civil rights movements around the world.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) was the Indian lawyer and campaigner who led India to independence from British rule without an army, using nonviolent resistance. His marches, fasts and boycotts inspired civil rights movements around the world, and his title Mahatma means 'great soul'.
Key facts
| Born | 1869 in Porbandar, Kathiawar Agency, British Raj |
|---|---|
| Died | 1948 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Field | Politics |
| Known for | Leading India to independence, Nonviolent resistance (satyagraha), The Salt March of 1930, Civil disobedience campaigns, Inspiring civil rights movements worldwide |
Overview
Gandhi was born in Porbandar, a coastal town in western India, and trained as a lawyer in London. In South Africa, where he lived for 21 years, he was thrown off a train for refusing to leave a first-class carriage, an insult that turned him into a campaigner for Indian rights. There he developed satyagraha, the method of nonviolent resistance, or 'truth force', that would define his life.
He returned to India in 1915, dressed in simple homespun cloth to identify with the poorest Indians, and led the campaign for independence through boycotts of British goods, the Salt March of 1930 and repeated periods in prison, always refusing violence. India became independent in August 1947, but the country was partitioned into India and Pakistan, and Gandhi, distressed by the violence between Hindus and Muslims, was shot dead in Delhi in January 1948 by a Hindu fanatic.
His influence reached far beyond India: Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela both drew on his example, and his birthday, 2 October, is now marked around the world as the International Day of Non-Violence.
Frequently asked questions
When was Mahatma Gandhi born?
Gandhi was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, a coastal town in western India. He was the youngest child of Karamchand Gandhi, the chief minister of the small princely state of Porbandar, and his wife Putlibai.
What did Mahatma Gandhi do?
Gandhi led India's independence movement through nonviolent resistance, organising boycotts of British goods, the Salt March of 1930 and campaigns of civil disobedience. He spent years in prison, fasted to stop communal violence, and became the moral leader of India's struggle against British rule.
How did Mahatma Gandhi die?
Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948 in New Delhi, shot three times at close range by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist, as he walked to an evening prayer meeting. He was 78, and the day is now commemorated in India as Martyrs' Day.
Where was Mahatma Gandhi born?
Gandhi was born in Porbandar, a coastal town on the Kathiawar peninsula in Gujarat, western India, then part of the British Raj. His family home there, Kirti Mandir, is now a museum, and the town still celebrates his birthday, 2 October, every year.
What is Mahatma Gandhi famous for?
Gandhi is famous for leading India to independence through nonviolence, a method he called satyagraha, and for inspiring civil rights movements worldwide. His simple dress, his spinning wheel and his Salt March became symbols of resistance to empire without the use of force.
Related people
- Nelson Mandela — Mandela called him one of his greatest influences
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Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.