Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in Porbandar of the state of Gujarat in India on 2nd October, 1869. Gandhiji became one of the most respected political and spiritual leaders of the 19th Century. Gandhiji served his country a lot for permanent independence from the British rule by means of his unique policy of non-violence and hence was honored by the country men as the Father of the Indian Nation. The Indian people called him 'Mahatma' which means Great Soul.

Gandhiji's parents arranged his marriage when he was just 13 years old with Kasturba, a girl of the same age and they had four children. Gandhiji studied Law in London and came back to India in 1891 to start practice. Taking up a contract of 1 year legal work, he went to South Africa in 1893. He stayed in South Africa for 21 years working hard to assure rights for the Indian people. His new method of act based on the principles of truth, courage and non-violence, called Satyagraha, which succeeded in incurring social and political goals. Gandhiji returned to India in 1915 and within the next 15 years he became the leader of the Indian Nationalist Movement. He was arrested numerous times by the British but he believed that it was honorable to go to prison for a good and genuine cause.

In the year 1947 India was approved independence and it followed the historic partition of India and Pakistan.

At the age of 78, on January 13th, 1948, Gandhiji began a fast with the purpose of stopping bloodshed caused by the rioting Hindus and Muslims. The opposing leaders plighted after 5 days to stop the riot and then Gandhiji broke his fast. But misfortunately, 12 days later, a Hindu extremist called Nathuram Godse, who contradicted his policy of lenience for all religion and creeds, assassinated him on 31st January, 1948. The Indian Nation lost their very own 'Bapuji' forever.

Ashutosh Hindustani.