Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

• Birth and Childhood (1869-1888):

  • Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town in Gujarat, India.
  • He was born into a devout Hindu family and was deeply influenced by his mother’s religious
  • Gandhi’s early education was in Porbandar and later in Rajkot. He was a diligent student but relatively

• Studies in England (1888-1893):

  • At the age of 18, Gandhi left for London to study
  • In London, he was exposed to Western culture and ideologies, and he also became involved in the vegetarian and theosophical
  • Gandhi completed his law degree and became a barrister, qualifying to practice law in

• Journey to South Africa (1893):

  • In 1893, Gandhi was offered a legal job in South Africa. He moved to Durban, South Africa, with his family.
  • His experiences in South Africa exposed him to the harsh realities of racial discrimination and prejudice, both against Indians and native Africans.

• Natal Indian Congress (1894):

  • In 1894, Gandhi founded the Natal Indian Congress to advocate for the rights and welfare of the Indian community in South Africa.
  • He began using the principles of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as tools for social and political
  • Gandhi also launched a newspaper called ‘Indian Opinion’ in
  • This newspaper became a platform to express grievances, educate the community, and advocate for Indian
  • ‘Indian Opinion’ played a crucial role in raising awareness about the issues faced by Indians in South

• Tolstoy Farm (1910):

• To foster the spirit of Satyagraha, Gandhi established the Tolstoy Farm in
• This farm served as a communal living space for satyagrahis (those who practiced Satyagraha) and their families.
• It was a place for training in nonviolent resistance and self-sufficiency.

• Satyagraha in South Africa (1913):

  • In 1913, Gandhi led a campaign against the South African government’s discriminatory laws, including the requirement for Indians to carry identification
  • This campaign, known as the “Great March” or “Satyagraha in South Africa,” marked a turning point in his advocacy for civil

• Back to India (1915):

  • In 1915, Gandhi returned to India, bringing with him the principles of nonviolent resistance he had developed in South
  • On the solicitation of Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a respected Indian leader and political mentor, Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in
  • Gandhi’s return was facilitated by C.F. Andrews, a British friend and supporter of Gandhi, who was also known as “Deenbandhu” (Friend of the Poor).
  • Under Gokhale’s influence, Gandhi deepened his understanding of Indian issues and the intricacies of Indian

• ChamparanSatyagrah (1917):

  • Champaran Satyagraha was the first civil disobedience movement organized by Mahatma Gandhi in
  • It was initiated due to the plea of Rajkumar Shukla, who requested Gandhi’s assistance in addressing the issues faced by indigo planters in
  • European planters were enforcing the Tinkatiya system, which required farmers to allocate 3/20 of their land for indigo cultivation, causing great hardship to the
  • Mahatma Gandhi launched a campaign of passive resistance or civil disobedience against the oppressive indigo cultivation
  • Through his efforts and negotiations, Gandhi was able to convince the British authorities to abolish the Tinkatiya system after the formation of ChamparanAgararian

• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922):

  • Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, urging Indians to boycott British goods, institutions, and
  • This mass movement gained widespread support but was suspended after the violent Chauri Chaura incident in 1922.

• Kheda Satyagraha (1918):

  • Kheda Satyagraha was the first non-cooperation movement organized by Mahatma Gandhi in
  • It took place in the Kheda district of Gujarat, India.
  • The people of Kheda were facing a severe drought in 1918, which led to crop failure and economic hardship.
  • Due to the economic distress and the added burden of high taxes imposed by the British, the peasants in Kheda were unable to pay their
  • Mahatma Gandhi extended his support to the peasants and advocated withholding revenue as a form of protest against the oppressive tax policies.
• After a period of resistance and negotiations, the British government agreed to form an agreement with the peasants.
• As a result, the taxes were suspended for the years 1919 and 1920, and all confiscated properties were returned to the

• Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918):

  • The Ahmedabad Mill Strike occurred in 1918 and was a significant labor dispute between mill owners and workers in Ahmedabad,
  • The primary issue was the discontinuation of the plague bonus, which had been an additional payment to workers during a plague
  • Workers demanded a 50% increase in wages, while mill owners were only willing to concede a 20%
  • Under the leadership of Anusuiya Sarabai, workers sought the support of Mahatma Gandhi to advocate for their cause.
  • Gandhi, during this movement, undertook his first hunger strike as a form of nonviolent
  • Gandhi encouraged the workers to go on strike without resorting to
  • Gandhi went on a fast until death to pressure the mill owners to address the workers’
  • Ultimately, the mill owners agreed to submit the issue to a tribunal, and as a result of the negotiations, workers received a 35% wage

• Rowlatt Act and Protest:

  • The British response to Indian nationalists’ demands was the Rowlatt Act, which aimed to suppress their
  • Gandhi called for a nationwide Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act, leading to the Rowlatt
  • This movement catapulted Gandhi to national leadership as he protested against the unjust Rowlatt
  • The infamous Jallianwala Bagh Massacre on April 13, 1919, where British troops killed unarmed Indian protesters, intensified the
  • Gandhi, witnessing the violence escalating, called off the Rowlatt Satyagraha on April 18, 1919, to prevent further bloodshed.

• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920):

  • Gandhi advised the leaders of the Indian National Congress to initiate the Non- Cooperation Movement, which aimed to support the Khilafat
  • At the Nagpur Congress session in 1920, the program for non-cooperation was officially
  • However, the Chauri Chaura incident occurred in 1922, where protesters turned violent and attacked police. In response, Gandhi called off the non-cooperation movement as it deviated from his principles of
  • Following the suspension of the movement, Gandhi shifted his focus to social reform work and reduced his involvement in political

• Salt March (1930):

  • Gandhi announced his intention to lead a Salt March to break the British monopoly on the manufacture and sale of
  • The march began from his ashram in Sabarmati and extended to the coastal town of Dandi in
  • Along with 78 followers, Gandhi produced salt from seawater, symbolizing defiance of the salt law and marking the start of the Civil Disobedience
• This movement aimed to challenge various unjust British laws through nonviolent

• Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931):

  • In 1931, the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed, leading to the suspension of civil disobedience and the release of political prisoners.
  • Gandhi met with Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India, to negotiate terms for ending the
  • Gandhi agreed to attend the second Round Table Conference in London as the representative of the Indian National Congress (INC).

• Communal Award (1932):

  • The Communal Award was introduced by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald in August
  • It expanded the concept of separate electorates to include depressed classes and other
  • The main objective was to maintain separate electorates for Muslims, Sikhs, and Europeans, further dividing the Indian population along communal

• Poona Pact (1932):

  • The Poona Pact was an agreement reached between B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi in response to the Communal Award.
  • It aimed to secure political representation for depressed classes and marginalized communities in
  • Both leaders came to a mutual understanding, and the Poona Pact helped avoid further communal division.

• Gandhi’s Resignation from INC (1934):

  • Mahatma Gandhi resigned from the Indian National Congress (INC) in
  • This decision was due to his disagreements with the INC’s positions on various
  • Gandhi returned to active politics during the Lucknow Session of Congress in 1936, which was presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru.

• Quit India Movement (1942):

  • The outbreak of World War II in 1939 heightened tensions in India, and the failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942 added to the discontent.
  • On August 8, 1942, during the Bombay Session of the All-India Congress Committee, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement.
  • Gandhi’s central demand was for the immediate departure of the British from India.
  • The iconic slogan of “Do or Die” was issued by Mahatma Gandhi during the Quit India
  • He called for a mass movement characterized by nonviolence as the means to achieve this goal.
  • The movement aimed to achieve complete independence for
  • Arrest of Leaders:
    • The British responded by arresting most of the major leaders of the Indian National Congress, including Mahatma Gandhi
    • The British government hoped that by detaining the leaders, they could suppress the

  • Post-Independence Efforts (1947-1948):

• After India gained independence in 1947, Gandhi focused on communal harmony and worked tirelessly to prevent religious violence.
• He advocated for the fair treatment of minorities and the Dalits (formerly known as “untouchables”).
• Assassination (January 30, 1948):
  • Tragically, on January 30, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, in New
  • His death sent shockwaves throughout India and the world, but his principles of nonviolence continued to inspire future
• Legacy and Influence:
  • Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence (Satyagraha) and civil disobedience had a profound impact on the global civil rights
  • Figures like Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States and Nelson Mandela in South Africa drew inspiration from Gandhi’s methods of resistance.

• Literary works of Gandhiji:

  • Hind Swaraj (1909):
    • One of Gandhi’s earliest and most significant works, “Hind Swaraj” (also known as “Indian Home Rule”), is considered the intellectual blueprint of India’s freedom
  • Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth (1925):
    • Gandhi’s autobiography, “The Story of My Experiments with Truth,” provides a deeply personal account of his life and his philosophical and political
  • Satyagraha in South Africa (1928):
    • This work chronicles Gandhi’s experiences and struggles during his time in South Africa, where he developed and refined the principles of satyagraha and nonviolent resistance.
  • Young India (1919-1932):
    • Gandhi edited and published the weekly newspaper “Young India” in English during a significant period in the Indian freedom struggle.

Navajivan (1919-1932):

• “Navajivan” was a Gujarati monthly magazine edited by Gandhi. It also had a Hindi edition.

• Indian Opinion (1904-1915):

  • During his time in South Africa, Gandhi published and edited the newspaper “Indian Opinion,” which advocated for the rights of the Indian community and promoted his principles of nonviolent

• Unto This Last (1908):

  • Gandhi wrote a paraphrase in Gujarati of John Ruskin’s essay, “Unto This Last,” which focused on economic and social issues.

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