Essay on Mahatma Gandhi’s Life & Work
Mahatma Gandhi: The father of nation
Born on 2nd October 1869 at Porbandar Gujarat, Mahatma Gandhi’s father was the chief minister of city while his mother followed Jain religion. Belonging to upper caste family, he was fortunate enough to attend school. Gandhi was a mediocre student and was married at the age of 13 with Kasturba. After completing formal education, he joined Samaldas College affiliated to Mumbai University. Mohandas Karamchand disliked the college and its environment, therefore once the opportunity to go to England for studying law came across, he grabbed it with both Hands and set sail for London.
Life in a foreign Land:
During the initial phase, Mohandas faced lots of problems in England as he was vegetarian and despised alcohol but later on after meeting sympathetic people, he pursued study of philosophy along with different religions. Once Gandhi completed law, he was admitted to the bar council of England and returned to India. In spite of having a degree from England, he couldn’t find enough clients, hence joined a company in South Africa as a lawyer in the year 1893.
Life changing experience:
Apartheid was rampant in South Africa in those times and Gandhi had a firsthand experience. While traveling in a railway carriage, he was thrown out of the first class in spite of possessing a valid ticket. The incident changed his life and he spent 21 years fighting the scourge of racism in South Africa. In fact, Mohandas formed an association called Natal Indian congress that worked in a non violent manner against the repression of the authorities.
Return to India:
He returned to India and implemented the non violence strategy by launching the civil disobedience movement. Gandhi with his philosophy became very popular and started heading the Indian national congress party. He advocated complete Independence from The British rule and mobilized masses across the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent. Authorities became scared of his popularity; therefore they tried peaceful negotiations by passing different laws for the welfare of the poor as well as down trodden people.
Contribution towards Indian Independence:
Gandhi worked tirelessly for the Hindu Muslim unity and forced the British crown to abdicate India for good. On 15th August 1947, the colonial shackles were broken as India became a free state however it was partitioned in the form of Pakistan. Mahatma was against the breakup of the country but Congress accepted the inevitable.
Mahatma Gandhi was shot by Nathu Ram Godse on 30th January 1948 when he was going to attend the prayer meeting from Birla Bhawan. While dying his last words were ‘hey Ram’. He sacrificed his life at the altar for the unity of the country.
Gandhi with his work towards the Independence of India and the upliftment of the untouchables played a very important role to create social transformation within the country. Not for nothing people called him mahatma and the father of nation. He was one of the most popular activists that the world has ever produced. By practicing non violence, Gandhi was able to bring down the British Empire on its knees.
- gandhian ideology