Full Name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Born: October 2, 1869 (Porbandar, Gujarat)
Died: January 30, 1948 (New Delhi)
Title: Father of the Nation
Philosophy: Truth (Satya) & Non-violence (Ahimsa)
1. Early Life & Education
✔ Born in a Hindu Vaishya (Bania) family in Gujarat.
✔ Studied law at Inner Temple, London (1888-1891).
✔ Practiced law in Bombay, then moved to South Africa in 1893.
2. Role in South Africa (1893-1915)
✔ Faced racial discrimination; thrown out of a train at Pietermaritzburg.
✔ Launched Satyagraha (1906) against racial laws.
✔ Established Phoenix Settlement and Tolstoy Farm.
✔ Founded the newspaper Indian Opinion (1903).
✔ Fought against Asiatic Registration Act and Indentured Labor System.
✔ Returned to India in 1915, advised by Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
3. Role in India’s Freedom Struggle
Champaran Satyagraha (1917)
✔ First Satyagraha in India – Supported indigo farmers in Bihar against exploitative British policies.
Kheda Satyagraha (1918)
✔ Supported Gujarat farmers against unjust tax collection during famine.
✔ First major success – British agreed to tax relief.
Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918)
✔ Led a hunger strike for mill workers demanding better wages.
✔ Result: British mill owners agreed to wage hike.
4. Major Movements Led by Gandhi
Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922)
✔ First mass movement against British rule.
✔ Boycott of British goods, services, and educational institutions.
✔ Movement called off after Chauri Chaura incident (1922) where police station was burned down.
Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-1934)
✔ Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) – March 12, 1930
✔ Walked 240 miles from Sabarmati to Dandi to break the salt law.
✔ Mass participation, including women.
✔ Led to Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) and Second Round Table Conference.
Quit India Movement (1942)
✔ Launched on August 8, 1942, at Bombay session of Congress.
✔ Slogan: “Do or Die”.
✔ Gandhi arrested; movement brutally suppressed by British.
5. Gandhi’s Role in Independence & Partition
✔ Opposed communal divide but could not prevent Partition (1947).
✔ Worked for Hindu-Muslim unity during communal riots.
✔ Last fast in Delhi (January 1948) to stop communal violence.
✔ Assassinated on January 30, 1948, by Nathuram Godse.
6. Important Books by/On Gandhi
✔ Hind Swaraj (1909) – Advocated self-rule & non-violence.
✔ The Story of My Experiments with Truth – Gandhi’s autobiography.
7. Important Slogans & Quotes
✔ “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
✔ “My life is my message.”
✔ “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”
8. MCQs on Mahatma Gandhi
1. Where did Mahatma Gandhi first use Satyagraha?
(a) India
(b) South Africa
(c) England
(d) Burma
✔ Answer: (b) South Africa
2. When was the Dandi March started?
(a) 1920
(b) 1930
(c) 1942
(d) 1917
✔ Answer: (b) 1930
3. Who called Gandhi ‘Mahatma’?
(a) Nehru
(b) Rabindranath Tagore
(c) Subhas Chandra Bose
(d) Vallabhbhai Patel
✔ Answer: (b) Rabindranath Tagore
4. Which movement was called off after the Chauri Chaura incident?
(a) Civil Disobedience Movement
(b) Quit India Movement
(c) Non-Cooperation Movement
(d) Swadeshi Movement
✔ Answer: (c) Non-Cooperation Movement
9. Quick Revision – Key Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Born | October 2, 1869 (Porbandar, Gujarat) |
| Died | January 30, 1948 (New Delhi) |
| Philosophy | Satya (Truth) & Ahimsa (Non-Violence) |
| First Satyagraha in India | Champaran (1917) |
| Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) | 1930 |
| Quit India Movement | 1942 |
| Autobiography | The Story of My Experiments with Truth |
Conclusion
Mahatma Gandhi played a pivotal role in India’s struggle for independence through non-violent resistance. His principles of truth, non-violence, and Satyagraha remain relevant even today.
Let me know if you need mind maps, timeline charts, or quick summaries! 😊