“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Bapu

Known As : Father of the Nation or Bapu

Full Name : Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Date of birth : October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Porbandar State, Kathiawar Agency, Bombay Presidency, British India

Died : 30 January 30, 1948 in New Delhi, Delhi, Dominion of India ( at the age of 78)

Nationality : Indian

Education : Samaldas College at Bhavnagar, Gujarat, University College London

Parents : Karamchand Gandhi, Putlibai Gandhi

Spouse : Kasturba Gandhi (m. 1883–1944)

Children : 4 (Harilal Gandhi, Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi and Devdas Gandhi)

Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian lawyer and activist. He is the symbol of non-violent activism in the 20^th century. Gandhi was the leader of the Indian Independence Movement, who stood against the British rule.

7 Interesting and Unknown Facts About Mahatma Gandhi :

Unique Way of Activism

Gandhi’s way of activism was unique in many ways. It was different from what was happening in other countries. He employed a non-violent civil disobedience style to spread his message across. So even though he led people to protests, it was without violence.

Led Independence in India

He played a vital role in the struggle for independence in India. He returned to the country in 1915, after a long stay in South Africa. He inspired many civil rights moments in the country. He led many demonstrations including the famous 400 km Dandi Salt March in 1930. He also led many other social protests for the struggle for civil rights.

Imprisonment

Gandhi was arrested many times for leading protests in and out of India. He served prisons terms in his home country and South Africa, which was his second home.

He Lived In South Africa for 21 Years

Gandhi first stepped foot in South Africa in 1893 at the age of 23. He went to South Africa as a supporting barrister in a case involving Seth Abdullah. While there he gained more exposure and that became the foundation for his political views.

Gandhi with his wife Kasturba Gandhi

Assassination

Nathuram Godse shot Gandhi three times in his chest on January 30, 1948, using a Beretta M1934 9mm pistol. Gandhi was at the time on his way to address a prayer meeting. Some accounts say he died on the spot while others say he died 30 minutes later.

His Killer Showed no Remorse

During his trial, Godse, should no remorse for killing Gandhi. Godse who was a Hidu expressed his detest of Gandhi bias towards Muslims. According to him, Gandhi was responsible for the sufferings of the Hindus during the partition of the subcontinent. He was found guilty and executed in 1949.

Recognitions

Gandhi has been recognised many times for his role in India and the world at large. The United Nations General Assembly made his birthday, 2^nd October as the International Day of Nonviolence in 2007. In 1930, he was named man of the year by the Time magazine. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times, even though he won none. Gandhi’s birthday, October 2 is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti and a national holiday in India.