Mohandas+Ghandi

__**Birth Date, Place of Birth, Family Background:**__ Porbandar, India, October 2nd, 1869, the Father of The Nation was born. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian revolutionary, freedom fighter, ethical man and a spiritual leader who used his religious beliefs and virtues to fight injustice. Following his father’s footsteps, Gandhi became the leading activist in the struggle for independence for the nation of India. His father was the Prime Minister of Porbandar, a city in India, the world’s second largest nation. Gandhi learned from his father, to grow a passion for his people and a desire to protect them. Gandhi’s mother influenced his religious beliefs as their family belonged to a branch of Hinduism where they were taught the significance of non-violence and to tolerate differences between religious groups. These morals and values are what lead to Gandhi’s position as a reformer and a leader of the highest respect in India.
 * __Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi__** [[image:333.jpg width="192" height="132"]]

__**Education and Influences:**__ Initially, Gandhi was interested in the field of medicine, but his father pressured him to study law. In the year 1888, Gandhi left India to study in England. Gandhi was not able to adapt to the culture and the environment so he sailed back to India and attempted to practice law in Rajkot and Bombay. For a short period of time, Gandhi served as a lawyer for the Prince of Porbandar.

In England, Gandhi was introduced to the Eastern Philosophies which influenced his political career. Gandhi devoted some of his time to read books from a great author, Henry David Thorough. The book “Civil Disobedience” had a major impact on Gandhi’s viewpoints as he understood to value discipline and obedience more.Henry Thorough greatly inspired him to find solutions through non-violent interactions and from time to time, Gandhi was imprisoned for leading the rebellion for India's independence, in a manner that weakened the roots of Britain's rule in India. But as every great leader should, Gandhi used his time in prison to inspire himself; he remained optimistic; he looked at the bright side rather than the dark.

__**Accomplishments:**__ In 1893, Gandhi left India and headed out to South Africa for some legal work. Gandhi was travelling on a first class train and he was asked to leave the first class and go to the third class coach by a prejudiced white man. Gandhi reluctantly left and travelled the rest of his journey in third class and yet he faced racism. When he arrived in Africa, Gandhi noticed that Indians there were being discriminated due to their ethnicity. Gandhi tried to improve living conditions for Indians there and returned to India with some success. Gandhi taught the Indians there of their rights and opposed a bill which prevented Indians of their freedom to vote. Also, before leaving, in 1894 he organized Natal Indian Congress. This was an organization which aimed to fight against discrimination against Indians in South Africa. In 1899, Gandhi was awarded for his services in the Boer War with the “War Medal”. Upon Gandhi’s return to India, Gandhi and followers started a march to abolish the British Salt Tax. They marched from Sabarmati to Dandi, a 240 mile journey, lasting 23 days. On April, 5th 1930 Gandhi and the followers reached the coast. He picked up a lump of salt from the water, breaking the British law. After a bitter struggle, the law was abolished. Soon, Gandhi and other followers grew upset with Britain’s actions. Gandhi and every other man protested and stood up for their country’s independence and the freedom from British rule. Men were killed, blood was shed and family members were lost. But Britain’s might not live up to the unarmed and peaceful struggle of the Indian people, and eventually gave up. The protesting was finally over and India won its independence on August 15th, 1947. Everything Gandhi worked for was finally here; the salt march and the other protests were all meant to lead to the superlative day of independence.

Gandhi was rewarded for his excellence with medals and the title Mahatma, meaning “Great Soul”. Mahatma Gandhi was also nominated for the Noble Peace Prize Award, but strangely was not chosen. The Government of India imprints his image on the Indian currency bills. Mahatma Gandhi was murdered soon after India won its Independence. He was assassinated on January 30th 1948 by Nathuram Godse; he was shot at a point-blank range. The reasons of the assassination can be debated, but Mahatma Gandhi most reluctantly was forced to accept the proposal of the partition and division of India, leading to the birth of Pakistan as a new nation. Mahatma Gandhi's death was the saddest day in the history of India.

Even today, the 2nd of October, Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, is fondly remembered as Gandhi Jayanti (anniversary) and on 30th January, the day he died, a moment of silence is observed as a mark of respect to the Great Soul. Mahatma Gandhi became an icon of peace and non-violence for the entire world.

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 * 1) Lebra, Joyce. "Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (1869-1948)." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Ed. Suzanne M. Bourgoin. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998. 17 vols.Discovering Collection. Gale. Toronto District School Board. 14 Jan. 2010 .
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 * 8) Maura D. Shaw.Ten Amazing People.Wood Stock:SkyLight Paths Publishing,2002.
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By: Zameer Bharwani and Haseeb Mohammad.