Who Was Mahatma Gandhi?

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, into a Hindu merchant family. The title “Mahatma,” meaning “great soul,” was first applied to him in South Africa in 1914 and became universally recognized. Gandhi trained as a lawyer at London’s Inner Temple and was called to the bar at age 22.

After struggling to establish a successful law practice in India, Gandhi moved to South Africa in 1893 to represent an Indian merchant in a lawsuit. His 21-year stay in South Africa proved transformative, as it was here that he first developed and employed nonviolent resistance as a tool for civil rights activism.

Early Activism and Formation of Satyagraha

Gandhi’s experiences in South Africa, where he faced racial discrimination firsthand, shaped his worldview and philosophy. He developed the concept of “Satyagraha” – a form of nonviolent resistance that combines truth (Satya) and firmness (agraha). This philosophy would later become the cornerstone of India’s independence movement.

In South Africa, Gandhi organized the Indian community to resist discriminatory laws through peaceful protests, civil disobedience, and non-cooperation. These early experiences taught him the power of organized, nonviolent resistance and prepared him for his future role in India’s freedom struggle.

Return to India and Leadership of Independence Movement

Gandhi returned to India in 1915 at age 45, bringing with him invaluable experience and a refined philosophy of nonviolent resistance. He quickly became involved in local issues, organizing campaigns to help farmers in Champaran (1917), supporting peasants against unjust taxation in Kheda (1918), and standing with industrial workers during the Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918).

Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi transformed the independence movement into a mass movement that included peasants, farmers, and urban laborers from all walks of life.

Major Contributions to India’s Freedom Struggle

The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922)

Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, urging Indians to withdraw their cooperation from British institutions. The movement included boycotting British goods, courts, schools, and government services. Gandhi believed that British rule in India depended on Indian cooperation, and withdrawing this support would weaken colonial control.

The Salt March – A Defining Moment

One of Gandhi’s most iconic contributions was the Salt March of 1930, also known as the Dandi March. When the British imposed heavy taxes on salt and maintained a monopoly on its production, Gandhi led a 240-mile march from his ashram to the Arabian Sea at Dandi. On March 12, 1930, Gandhi and his followers broke the salt law by producing salt from seawater.

This act of civil disobedience captured international attention and demonstrated the power of nonviolent resistance. Thousands joined the march, making it one of the most significant events in India’s freedom struggle.

The Quit India Movement (1942)

In 1942, Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement with the powerful slogan “Do or Die,” demanding immediate British withdrawal from India. Despite harsh repression and the arrest of Congress leaders, including Gandhi himself, the movement demonstrated the Indian people’s unwavering determination for independence.

Gandhi’s Philosophy and Lifestyle

Gandhi adopted a simple lifestyle, wearing a short dhoti woven from hand-spun yarn as identification with India’s rural poor. He lived in self-sufficient residential communities, ate simple vegetarian food, and undertook long fasts as means of both introspection and political protest.

The spinning wheel (charkha) became a symbol of Gandhi’s philosophy of self-reliance (Swaraj) and economic independence. He encouraged Indians to spin their own cloth and boycott British textiles, making the charkha an emblem of the independence movement.

Beyond Independence: Social Reforms

Gandhi’s contributions extended beyond political independence. He worked tirelessly for:

• Eradication of untouchability: Gandhi fought against caste-based discrimination and worked to improve the conditions of Dalits, whom he called “Harijans” (children of God).

• Women’s rights: He advocated for women’s education, political participation, and social equality.

• Religious harmony: Gandhi promoted unity between different religious communities and opposed communalism.

• Economic justice: He emphasized village self-sufficiency and cottage industries as alternatives to industrial capitalism.

The Tragic End: Gandhi’s Assassination

On January 30, 1948, at 5:17 PM, Mahatma Gandhi’s life came to a tragic end. As the 78-year-old leader walked toward a prayer meeting at Birla House in New Delhi, Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a Hindu nationalist, approached him and fired three bullets at point-blank range into Gandhi’s chest and abdomen.

Gandhi fell to the ground, and according to witnesses, his final words were “He Ram, He Ram” (Oh God, Oh God). He was quickly carried back to Birla House, where he died approximately 30 minutes later with his head resting in his granddaughter’s lap.

The Assassin and His Motives

Nathuram Godse was a 38-year-old member of the Hindu Mahasabha, a right-wing Hindu nationalist organization. He was also associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Godse opposed Gandhi’s policies toward Pakistan and blamed him for India’s partition and the subsequent communal violence.

Godse had made two previous unsuccessful attempts to kill Gandhi – once in 1944 with a knife and again in September 1944 with a dagger. Both times he was released due to Gandhi’s policy of not pressing criminal charges.

The Trial and Execution

The Gandhi murder trial began in May 1948 at Delhi’s Red Fort. Godse, along with his collaborator Narayan Apte and six others, was tried for the assassination. Godse refused legal representation and defended himself, arguing that his act was motivated by ideological differences rather than personal hatred.

On November 8, 1949, Godse and Apte were sentenced to death. Despite pleas for clemency from Gandhi’s own sons, Manilal and Ramdas Gandhi, the sentences were upheld by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Deputy Prime Minister Vallabhbhai Patel, and Governor-General Chakravarti Rajagopalachari. Both were executed at Ambala Central Jail on November 15, 1949.

Gandhi Jayanti: Celebration and Significance

Gandhi Jayanti has been observed as a national holiday in India since 1948, the year following Gandhi’s assassination. In 2007, the United Nations declared October 2 as the International Day of Non-Violence, recognizing Gandhi’s global influence on peaceful resistance movements.

How Gandhi Jayanti is Celebrated

On Gandhi Jayanti, the President, Prime Minister, and other dignitaries pay homage at Raj Ghat in New Delhi, where Gandhi was cremated. The day is marked by:

• Prayer meetings and interfaith services

• Cultural programs in schools featuring Gandhi’s favorite bhajan, “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram”

• Cleanliness drives under the Swachh Bharat mission

• Debates, essay competitions, and film screenings

• Tribute ceremonies at Gandhi memorials across the country

Gandhi’s Global Legacy

Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance has inspired civil rights movements worldwide. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. in the American civil rights movement and Nelson Mandela in the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa have acknowledged Gandhi’s profound influence on their own fights for justice and equality.

His principles of truth, non-violence, and civil disobedience continue to guide social justice movements across the globe, making him not just the Father of the Indian Nation, but a universal symbol of peaceful resistance.

On this Gandhi Jayanti 2025, as we remember the 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, his message of non-violence, truth, and social justice remains more relevant than ever. In an age marked by conflict and intolerance, Gandhi’s teachings offer a pathway to peace and harmony.

His life demonstrates that profound social and political change can be achieved through peaceful means, moral courage, and unwavering commitment to justice. As we face contemporary challenges of inequality, environmental degradation, and social discord, Gandhi’s philosophy provides timeless wisdom for building a better world.

The legacy of the man who gave India its independence through non-violence continues to inspire millions worldwide, proving that the power of truth and non-violence can indeed transform the world.

Key Facts About Gandhi Jayanti 2025:

• Date: October 2, 2025 (Thursday)

• Significance: 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

• Status: National holiday in India, International Day of Non-Violence globally

• Theme: Remembrance of Gandhi’s contributions to independence and non-violence

• Celebrations: Prayer meetings, cultural programs, tribute ceremonies, and cleanliness drives

Gandhi’s Major Movements:

• Champaran Satyagraha (1917)

• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922)

• Salt March/Dandi March (1930)

• Quit India Movement (1942)

Gandhi’s Assassination:

• Date: January 30, 1948

• Location: Birla House, New Delhi

• Assassin: Nathuram Vinayak Godse

• Trial: May 1948 at Red Fort

• Execution of assassin: November 15, 1949