MAHATMA GANDHI (1869)Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869- 30th January 1948), Popularly known as MAHATMa Gandhi or Bapu (Father of Nation ),he was the pre-eminent leader of Indian nationalism in British -ruled India . Employing non-violent Civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements of non-violence ,civil rights and freedom across the world. He is known in India as the Father of Nation ;his birthday, 2 October, is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanthi, a National holiday and world -wide as the international Day of Non-violence .world-wide Gandhi’s philosophy was not theoretical but of pragmatism. Asked to give messages to the people, he responded, “My life is my messages “.Civil rights movements in South Africa (1893-1914)Gandhi was 24 when he arrived in South Africa to work as a legal representative for the Muslim Indian Traders based in the city of Pretoria.He spent 21 years in south Africa, where he developed his political view,ethics and political leadership skills. In South Africa, Gandhi faced the discrimination directed at all coloured people. Heels thrown off a train at Pietermaritzburg after refusing to move from the first -class though he had a first-class ticket.Struggle for Indian Independence (1915-47)In 1915,Gandhi returned to India permanently . He attained an international reputation as leafing Indian nationalist ,theorist and organizer . He joined the Indian National congress and was introduced to Indian issues, politics and the Indian people primarily by Gopala Krishna Gokhale. Gokhale was a key leader of the Congress Party best known for his restraint and moderation,and his insistence on working inside the system .Gandhi took Gokhale’s liberal approach based on British Whiggish tradition and transformed it to make it look wholly Indian.Champaran and khedaGandhi’s first major achievements came in 1918 with the Champaran and Kheda agitations of Bihar and Gujarat. The Champaran agitation pitted the local peasantry against their largely British landlords who were backed by the local administration. The peasantry was forced to grow Indigo, a cash crop whose demand had been declining over two decades, and were forced to sell their crops to the planters at a fixed priceKhilafat movementsIn 1919 Gandhi ,with his weak position in congress, decided to broaden his base by increasing his appeal to Muslims. The opportunity came from the khilafat movement, a worldwide protest by Muslims against the collapsing status of the caliph,the leader of their religion. His success made him India’s first national leader with a multicultural base and facilitated his rise to power within congress,which had previously been unable to reach many Muslims. In 1920 Gandhi became a major leader in congress. Gandhi always fought against “communalism “,which pitted Muslims against Hindus in politics, but he could not reverse the rapid growth of communication after 1922.Salt Satyagraha(Salt March)Gandhi stayed out of active politics and,as such,the limelight for most of the 1920s. He focused instead on resolving the wedge between the swaraj party and the Indian National Congress, and expanding initiatives against untouchability , alcoholism,ignorance and poverty. He returned to the fore in 1928.In the preceding year, the British government had appointed a new constitutional reform commission under sir John Simon, which did not include any Indian as its member. Gandhi then launched a new Satyagraha against the tax on slat in March 1930.This was highlighted by famous Salt March to Dandi.Quit Undia MovementQuit India became the most forceful movement in the history of struggle,with mass arrests and violence on an unprecedented scale. In 1942 although stillb committed in hid efforts to “launch a non-violent movement “,Gandhi clarified that the movement would not be stopped by individual act of violence, saying that the ” ordered anarchy ” of “the present system of administration ” was “worse than real anarchy “.He called on all congressmen and Indians to maintain discipline via ahimsa,and Karo ya maro (“Do or die”) in the cause of ultimate freedomNon-violenceGandhi explains his philosophy and way of life in his autobiography “The story of My Experiments with Truth “.Literary worksGandhi was a prolific writer. One of Gandhi’s earliest publications, Hind Swaraj,Published language; Indian Opinion while in South America and, Young India, in English, and Navajivan ,a Gujarati monthly, on his returns to India. Later,Nakajima was also published in hindi. In addition, he wrote letters almost every day to individuals and newspapers. Gandhi also wrote several books including his autobiography, “The Story of My Experiments with Truth “.Rabindranath Tagore is said to have accorded the title ” Mahatma” to Gandhi.World Farm Animals DayGandhi’s birthday is chosen as a commemoration for the billions of non-human animals that are slaughtered by the human farming industry each year. The practice started in 1983.AssassinationOn 30 January 1948,just five months of coyntry’s Independence, the Mahatma was on his way to his usual prayer meeting in the Birla Mandir in the capital city. His smiling face revealed only a divine serenity. Suddenly a middle-aged man named Nathuran Godse entered his path and directly facing him fired three shots point and blank at the 79 year old disarmed leader. Dignitaries Jawaharlal Nehru declared: “The lights has gone out of our lives”. It is nearly six decades that Gandhiji departed from us,but Gandism is still very much alive and kicking in the national psyche of India.Current impact within IndiaGandhi’s birthday, 2 October, is National holiday in India, Gandhi’s date of death death,30 January, is commemorated as a Martyrs’ Day in India. There are two temples in India dedicated to Gandhi,One is located sambalpur in orissa and the other at Nidaghatta village nera kadur in chikmangalur district of Karnataka. The Gandhi Memorial in Kanyakumari resembles central Indian Hindu temples and the Tamukkan or Summer palace in Madurai now houses the Mahatma Gandhi Museum.MAHATMA GANDHI (1869)Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869- 30th January 1948), Popularly known as MAHATMa Gandhi or Bapu (Father of Nation ),he was the pre-eminent leader of Indian nationalism in British -ruled India . Employing non-violent Civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements of non-violence ,civil rights and freedom across the world. He is known in India as the Father of Nation ;his birthday, 2 October, is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanthi, a National holiday and world -wide as the international Day of Non-violence .world-wide Gandhi’s philosophy was not theoretical but of pragmatism. Asked to give messages to the people, he responded, “My life is my messages “.Civil rights movements in South Africa (1893-1914)Gandhi was 24 when he arrived in South Africa to work as a legal representative for the Muslim Indian Traders based in the city of Pretoria.He spent 21 years in south Africa, where he developed his political view,ethics and political leadership skills. In South Africa, Gandhi faced the discrimination directed at all coloured people. Heels thrown off a train at Pietermaritzburg after refusing to move from the first -class though he had a first-class ticket.Struggle for Indian Independence (1915-47)In 1915,Gandhi returned to India permanently . He attained an international reputation as leafing Indian nationalist ,theorist and organizer . He joined the Indian National congress and was introduced to Indian issues, politics and the Indian people primarily by Gopala Krishna Gokhale. Gokhale was a key leader of the Congress Party best known for his restraint and moderation,and his insistence on working inside the system .Gandhi took Gokhale’s liberal approach based on British Whiggish tradition and transformed it to make it look wholly Indian.Champaran and khedaGandhi’s first major achievements came in 1918 with the Champaran and Kheda agitations of Bihar and Gujarat. The Champaran agitation pitted the local peasantry against their largely British landlords who were backed by the local administration. The peasantry was forced to grow Indigo, a cash crop whose demand had been declining over two decades, and were forced to sell their crops to the planters at a fixed priceKhilafat movementsIn 1919 Gandhi ,with his weak position in congress, decided to broaden his base by increasing his appeal to Muslims. The opportunity came from the khilafat movement, a worldwide protest by Muslims against the collapsing status of the caliph,the leader of their religion. His success made him India’s first national leader with a multicultural base and facilitated his rise to power within congress,which had previously been unable to reach many Muslims. In 1920 Gandhi became a major leader in congress. Gandhi always fought against “communalism “,which pitted Muslims against Hindus in politics, but he could not reverse the rapid growth of communication after 1922.Salt Satyagraha(Salt March)Gandhi stayed out of active politics and,as such,the limelight for most of the 1920s. He focused instead on resolving the wedge between the swaraj party and the Indian National Congress, and expanding initiatives against untouchability , alcoholism,ignorance and poverty. He returned to the fore in 1928.In the preceding year, the British government had appointed a new constitutional reform commission under sir John Simon, which did not include any Indian as its member. Gandhi then launched a new Satyagraha against the tax on slat in March 1930.This was highlighted by famous Salt March to Dandi.Quit Undia MovementQuit India became the most forceful movement in the history of struggle,with mass arrests and violence on an unprecedented scale. In 1942 although stillb committed in hid efforts to “launch a non-violent movement “,Gandhi clarified that the movement would not be stopped by individual act of violence, saying that the ” ordered anarchy ” of “the present system of administration ” was “worse than real anarchy “.He called on all congressmen and Indians to maintain discipline via ahimsa,and Karo ya maro (“Do or die”) in the cause of ultimate freedomNon-violenceGandhi explains his philosophy and way of life in his autobiography “The story of My Experiments with Truth “.Literary worksGandhi was a prolific writer. One of Gandhi’s earliest publications, Hind Swaraj,Published language; Indian Opinion while in South America and, Young India, in English, and Navajivan ,a Gujarati monthly, on his returns to India. Later,Nakajima was also published in hindi. In addition, he wrote letters almost every day to individuals and newspapers. Gandhi also wrote several books including his autobiography, “The Story of My Experiments with Truth “.Rabindranath Tagore is said to have accorded the title ” Mahatma” to Gandhi.World Farm Animals DayGandhi’s birthday is chosen as a commemoration for the billions of non-human animals that are slaughtered by the human farming industry each year. The practice started in 1983.AssassinationOn 30 January 1948,just five months of coyntry’s Independence, the Mahatma was on his way to his usual prayer meeting in the Birla Mandir in the capital city. His smiling face revealed only a divine serenity. Suddenly a middle-aged man named Nathuran Godse entered his path and directly facing him fired three shots point and blank at the 79 year old disarmed leader. Dignitaries Jawaharlal Nehru declared: “The lights has gone out of our lives”. It is nearly six decades that Gandhiji departed from us,but Gandism is still very much alive and kicking in the national psyche of India.Current impact within IndiaGandhi’s birthday, 2 October, is National holiday in India, Gandhi’s date of death death,30 January, is commemorated as a Martyrs’ Day in India. There are two temples in India dedicated to Gandhi,One is located sambalpur in orissa and the other at Nidaghatta village nera kadur in chikmangalur district of Karnataka. The Gandhi Memorial in Kanyakumari resembles central Indian Hindu temples and the Tamukkan or Summer palace in Madurai now houses the Mahatma Gandhi Museum.