Who was Mahatma Gandhi?

**Profile: Mahatma Gandhi**

**Name:** Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi  
**Born:** October 2, 1869  
**Died:** January 30, 1948  
**Nationality:** Indian  

**Early Life:**  
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, universally known as Mahatma Gandhi ('Mahatma' meaning 'Great Soul'), was born in Porbandar, a coastal town in present-day Gujarat, India. As the son of the diwan (chief minister) of Porbandar, Gandhi hailed from a well-off family. He was married to Kasturba Gandhi at 13, as was the tradition in India at the time.

**Education and Early Experiences Abroad:**  
In 1888, Gandhi traveled to London to study law. He pledged to his mother that he would abstain from meat, alcohol, and women. He kept this pledge throughout his stay and was introduced to various religious philosophies, particularly the Bhagavad Gita, which would later influence his life and work.

After completing his law degree, he moved to South Africa in 1893. Here, he first encountered racial prejudice and began his work in civil rights. The discrimination against the Indian community in South Africa prompted him to develop the concept of "Satyagraha" (truth-force), a nonviolent resistance to tyranny.

**Return to India:**  
Gandhi returned to India in 1915. With his experience from South Africa, he became a leader in the Indian National Congress, advocating for India's independence from British rule using nonviolent civil disobedience.

**Philosophy:**  
1. **Non-Violence (Ahimsa):** Gandhi believed in the power of non-violence. For him, Ahimsa wasn't just a tool for political change but a way of life.
 
2. **Satyagraha:** A philosophy that promotes nonviolent resistance as a means of protest, Gandhi believed in standing firmly in truth and righteousness.

3. **Simplicity:** Gandhi led a Spartan life. He believed in the simplicity of living and the richness of being.

4. **Self-reliance (Swaraj):** Gandhi's concept of Swaraj, or self-rule, extended beyond political autonomy. He envisioned a decentralized India where villages would be self-reliant.

5. **Interfaith Harmony:** Gandhi, a devout Hindu, believed in respecting all religions. He often quoted from various religious texts and upheld the ideal of religious harmony.

**Major Achievements:**  
1. **Salt March:** In 1930, Gandhi led a 240-mile march to the Arabian Sea to produce salt, defying the British salt monopoly and tax.

2. **Fast Unto Death:** Gandhi used fasting as a means of protest. His most notable fasts protested communal violence and discrimination against the untouchables (Dalits).

3. **Role in Indian Independence:** Gandhi played a pivotal role in India's quest for independence through decades of struggle and nonviolent protests. The nation was finally granted independence on August 15, 1947.

**Death:**  
Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, in New Delhi by a Hindu extremist. As he was shot, his last words were said to be "Hey Ram" (Oh God).

**Legacy:**  
Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy and methods of nonviolent resistance inspired numerous civil rights movements and leaders worldwide, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the USA and Nelson Mandela in South Africa. In India, he's commemorated as the "Father of the Nation," his birthday, October 2, is celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence.