Mahatma Gandhi Facts

20 interesting facts about Mahatma Gandhi

1. Mahatma Gandhi, also known as “Father of the Nation,” was the leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule.
2. He was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town in present-day Gujarat, India.
3. Gandhi was a lawyer by profession and was trained in England.
4. He employed non-violent civil disobedience as the main tactic in the Indian independence movement.
5. Gandhi spent 21 years in South Africa, where he developed his philosophy of non-violence.
6. He was arrested multiple times by the British government during the Indian independence movement.
7. Gandhi led nationwide campaigns and strikes for various social causes, including the caste system, poverty, and unemployment.
8. He was assassinated on January 30, 1948 by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist.
9. Gandhi’s birthday, October 2nd, is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday in India.
10. He was a vegetarian and advocated for the principles of satyagraha, or “truth force.”
11. Gandhi’s philosophy and teachings have influenced political leaders and activists around the world.
12. He was a prolific writer and his works include “The Story of My Experiments with Truth” and “Hind Swaraj”.
13. In 1948, the Indian government posthumously awarded Gandhi the highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna.
14. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times between 1937 and 1948, including in 1948, the year of his death.
15. In 2007, the United Nations declared October 2nd as the International Day of Non-Violence.
16. Gandhi was also a strong advocate for education and self-sufficiency, he established an Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India where people could learn various skills.
17. He believed in the concept of Swadeshi, where people should use and promote goods produced in their own country and reject foreign goods.
18. He was very much interested in the upliftment of the downtrodden, especially the Harijans, and worked tirelessly to improve their living conditions.
19. He played a major role in the Indian National Congress and was the leader of the party from 1921 to 1948.
20. He has been honored by countries around the world with statues, memorials and national holidays, including in India, where his face appears on the currency.