Mohandas Gandhi

Summary

Mohandas Gandhi, widely known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, politician, and social activist who played a key role in India’s independence movement against British rule. His philosophy centered on nonviolent resistance, or Satyagraha, deeply influenced by his Hindu faith and inspired by figures like Thoreau and Tolstoy.

Facts

Mohandas Gandhi was born in Porbandar, India, in 1869.

He studied law in London, England, and arrived in South Africa in 1893.

Gandhi stayed in South Africa for 21 years, where he was exposed to the ideas of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience.

He returned to India in 1915 and became actively involved in the Indian National Congress.

Gandhi led numerous nonviolent campaigns against British rule, including the Salt March in 1930.

His philosophy of nonviolence, Satyagraha, emphasized resisting oppression without resorting to violence.

Gandhi spent a total of seven years in prison for his political activism.

He was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist in 1948.

Gandhi’s legacy as a champion of nonviolence and civil rights continues to inspire people worldwide.