You are here: MaxAbout.com > People

Mahatma Gandhi

Personal Profile

Mahatma Gandhi
  • Birth Name:
    Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
  • Nickname:
    Bapu
  • Date of Birth:
    October 2, 1869
  • Zodiac Sign:
    Libra
  • Place of Birth:
    Porbandar, India
  • Place of Death:
    Delhi, India. (assassination)
  • Date of Death:
    January 30, 1948
  • Cause of Death:
    Assassination
  • Height:
    5' 4½"
  • Sex:
    Male
  • Nationality:
    Indian
  • Religion:
    Hinduism
  • Education:
    University College London

Family

Mahatma Gandhi
  • Father:
    Karamchand Gandhi
  • Mother:
    Putalibai
  • Brother:
    Laxmidas, Karsandas
  • Sister:
    Raliatbehn
  • Spouse:
    Kasturba Gandh
  • Son:
    Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, Devdas

Career

Mahatma Gandhi
  • Claim to Fame:
    Indian Independence Movement

Trivia

Mahatma Gandhi
  • Despite his pacifist philosophy, he was a wife-beater.
  • Was a vegetarian
  • When the Dalai Lama was awarded the Peace Prize in 1989, the chairman of the committee said that this was "in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi".
  • After his death the Nobel Committee publicly declared its regret for never awarding him the Prize.
  • He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times between 1937 and 1948.
  • The title "Mahatma" (meaning "great-souled") was given to him in 1915 by his friend Rabindranath Tagore. He never accepted the title because he considered himself unworthy of it.
  • He had spent a total of 2,338 days (over 6 years) in jail as a political prisoner during his lifetime.
  • He used to write letters to Leo Tolstoy, with whom he was friends. He even named his ashram in his honor - Tolstoy Farm.
  • There are several major roads in most of the larger metropolitan cities in India named in his honour, as M.G. Road (short for Mahatma Gandhi).
  • He reached his destination after 24 days on 6th April, 1930. This event became known the world over as The Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha.

Quotes

Mahatma Gandhi
  • “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
  • “A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.”
  • “Remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS.”
  • “Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”
  • “We must become the change we want to see.”
  • “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
  • Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right.
  • An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
  • Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.
  • What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?
View all Quotes: Mahatma Gandhi

Biography

Mahatma Gandhi
Last Updated: Thursday, September 17, 2009

mahatma gandhiHe became one of the most respected spiritual and political leaders of the 1900's. GandhiJi helped free the Indian people from British rule through nonviolent resistance, and is honored by Indians as the father of the Indian Nation. The Indian people called Gandhiji  'Mahatma', meaning Great Soul. At the age of 13 Gandhi married Kasturba, a girl the same age. Their parents arranged the marriage. The Gandhis had four children. Gandhi studied law in London and returned to India in 1891 to practice. In 1893 he took on a one-year contract to do legal work in South Africa.

At the time the British controlled South Africa. When he attempted to claim his rights as a British subject he was abused, and soon saw that all Indians suffered similar treatment. Gandhi stayed in South Africa for 21 years working to secure rights for Indian people.He developed a method of action based upon the principles of courage, nonviolence and truth called Satyagraha. He believed that the way people behave is more important than what they achieve. Satyagraha promoted nonviolence and civil disobedience as the most appropriate methods for obtaining political and social goals. In 1915 Gandhi returned to India. Within 15 years he became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement.

Using the principles of Satyagraha he led the campaign for Indian independence from Britain. Gandhi was arrested many times by the British for his activities in South Africa and India. He believed it was honorable to go to jail for a just cause. Altogether he spent seven years in prison for his political activities.More than once Gandhi used fasting to impress upon others the need to be nonviolent. India was granted independence in 1947, and partitioned into India and Pakistan. Rioting between Hindus and Muslims followed. Gandhi had been an advocate for a united India where Hindus and Muslims lived together in peace.

On January 13, 1948, at the age of 78, he began a fast with the purpose of stopping the bloodshed. After 5 days the opposing leaders pledged to stop the fighting and Gandhi broke his fast. Twelve days later a Hindu fanatic, Nathuram Godse who opposed his program of tolerance for all creeds and religion assassinated him.

Filmography

Mahatma Gandhi

Submit Content