Mahatma Gandhi Birth Anniversary 2020: life history of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi, respectfully known as the father of the nation, is not a strange name just for Indian but also for people around the world. His life has inspired many and helped numerous to lead an inspiring life.

The full name of Mahatma Gandhi is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, and people use to call him Bapu out of love. He was born in Porbandar on 2nd October 1869. His parents were Karamchand Gandhi (Father) and PutliBai Gandhi (Moher).

Mahatma Gandhi was married to Kasturba Gandhi (who was lovingly called by the name Baa). He had 4 children, whose names were Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas and Devdas.

By profession, Gandhi Ji was a lawyer and he studied and practised law in South Africa. But some impactful incidences turned him into an anti-colonial nationalist. One incidence was, he was thrown out of the train in South Africa because of his colour. He was also a political atheist.

His nonviolent resistance policy which he applied in South Africa in the year 1914 earned him fame and crafted him as the hero for civil rights and freedom across the world. He lived for 21 years in South Africa. In 1915, he returned to India.

After arriving in India, he raised his voice for peasants and urban labourers. Fought against excessive land-tax and discrimination. He led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding movement rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability. He sets the idea for self-rule or Swaraj. He was the undisputed leader of Indian National Congress, which spearheaded the Indian independence movement.

The name Mahatma was given to him by Rabindranath Tagore, who was inspired by his simple living. In 1924-25, he was the president of the Indian National Congress. He wrote his autobiography named The story of my experiments with truth.

Some of the major campaigns initiated and led by Gandhi were the Dandi March which he took in protest against the tax imposed by the British government on salt. He took the Dandi March in 1930 from his Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in Gujarat, where he made the salt from seawater to protest the salt tax.

Another movement led by him was the Quit India Movement in 1942. He was imprisoned by the British government where many a time he used to keep fast to show his resentment against the British empire.

After his struggle for the common man and fight against the British empire, the Britishers granted independence to India in August 1947.

During this time, the Britishers divided India into two parts – Hindu majority India and Pakistan which was a Muslim majority country, headed by Mohd Ali Jinnah. The partition was the black spot on India as it displaced lakhs of Hindu, Muslim, Sikhs. There were riots and Gandhi visited many places in an attempt to provide solace to the affected citizens. He took many fasts unto death to stop this madness and violence related to religion.

On 30th January 1948, when he was staying in Birla house in Delhi, he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse who pumped 3 bullets in his chest. The last words of Gandhiji were Hey Ram.

To acknowledge the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi in providing independence to India, his birthday 2nd of October is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti in India and it is a National Holiday. Worldwide, this day is celebrated as International Day of Non-violence.