Sufian ahmed biography of mahatma gandhi

Rather than buy British-manufactured clothes, he began to use a portable spinning wheel to produce his own cloth. The spinning wheel soon became a symbol of Indian independence and self-reliance. Gandhi assumed the leadership of the Indian National Congress and advocated a policy of non-violence and non-cooperation to achieve home rule. After British authorities arrested Gandhi in , he pleaded guilty to three counts of sedition.

Although sentenced to a six-year imprisonment, Gandhi was released in February after appendicitis surgery. When violence between the two religious groups flared again, Gandhi began a three-week fast in the autumn of to urge unity. He remained away from active politics during much of the latter s. Wearing a homespun white shawl and sandals and carrying a walking stick, Gandhi set out from his religious retreat in Sabarmati on March 12, , with a few dozen followers.

By the time he arrived 24 days later in the coastal town of Dandi, the ranks of the marchers swelled, and Gandhi broke the law by making salt from evaporated seawater.

Sufian ahmed biography of mahatma gandhi

The Salt March sparked similar protests, and mass civil disobedience swept across India. Approximately 60, Indians were jailed for breaking the Salt Acts, including Gandhi, who was imprisoned in May Still, the protests against the Salt Acts elevated Gandhi into a transcendent figure around the world. Gandhi was released from prison in January , and two months later he made an agreement with Lord Irwin to end the Salt Satyagraha in exchange for concessions that included the release of thousands of political prisoners.

The agreement, however, largely kept the Salt Acts intact. But it did give those who lived on the coasts the right to harvest salt from the sea. Hoping that the agreement would be a stepping-stone to home rule, Gandhi attended the London Round Table Conference on Indian constitutional reform in August as the sole representative of the Indian National Congress.

The conference, however, proved fruitless. The public outcry forced the British to amend the proposal. With his health failing, Gandhi was released after a month detainment in Gandhi played an active role in the negotiations, but he could not prevail in his hope for a unified India. Instead, the final plan called for the partition of the subcontinent along religious lines into two independent states—predominantly Hindu India and predominantly Muslim Pakistan.

Violence between Hindus and Muslims flared even before independence took effect on August 15, Mahatma Gandhi was deeply rooted in Hinduism, drawing inspiration from the Hindu god Vishnu and other religious texts like the Bhagavad Gita. However, his approach to religion was broad and inclusive, embracing ideas and values from various faiths, including Christianity and Islam, emphasizing the universal search for truth.

This eclectic approach allowed him to develop a personal philosophy that stressed the importance of truth, non-violence ahimsa , and self-discipline. Gandhi believed in living a simple life, minimizing possessions, and being self-sufficient. He also advocated for the equality of all human beings, irrespective of caste or religion, and placed great emphasis on the power of civil disobedience as a way to achieve social and political goals.

His beliefs were not just theoretical; they were practical principles that guided his actions and campaigns against British rule in India. His commitment to non-violence and truth was also not just a personal choice but a political strategy that proved effective against British rule. His unique approach to civil disobedience and non-violent protest influenced not only the course of Indian history but also civil rights movements around the world.

Among his notable achievements was the successful challenge against British salt taxes through the Salt March of , which galvanized the Indian population against the British government. Gandhi was instrumental in the discussions that led to Indian independence in , although he was deeply pained by the partition that followed. His methods of peaceful resistance have inspired countless individuals and movements, including Martin Luther King Jr.

He went there to work as a legal representative for an Indian firm. Initially, Gandhi planned to stay in South Africa for a year, but the discrimination and injustice he witnessed against the Indian community there changed his path entirely. He faced racism firsthand when he was thrown off a train at Pietermaritzburg station for refusing to move from a first-class carriage, which was reserved for white passengers.

This incident was crucial, marking the beginning of his fight against racial segregation and discrimination. Gandhi decided to stay in South Africa to fight for the rights of the Indian community, organizing the Natal Indian Congress in to combat the unjust laws against Indians. His work in South Africa lasted for about 21 years, during which he developed and refined his principles of non-violent protest and civil disobedience.

In response, Gandhi organized a mass protest meeting and declared that Indians would defy the law and suffer the consequences rather than submit to it. This was the beginning of the Satyagraha movement in South Africa, which aimed at asserting the truth through non-violent resistance. This philosophy was deeply influenced by his religious beliefs and his experiences in South Africa.

He believed that the moral high ground could compel oppressors to change their ways without resorting to violence. Gandhi argued that through peaceful non-compliance and willingness to accept the consequences of defiance, one could achieve justice. This form of protest was not just about resisting unjust laws but doing so in a way that adhered to a strict code of non-violence and truth, or Satyagraha.

His readings of various religious texts and the works of thinkers like Henry David Thoreau also contributed to his philosophy. Satyagraha , a term coined by Gandhi, combines the Sanskrit words for truth satya and holding firmly to agraha. Satyagraha called for non-violent resistance to injustice, where the satyagrahi practitioner of Satyagraha would peacefully defy unjust laws and accept the consequences of such defiance.

In , after the Transvaal government passed an ordinance regarding the registration of its Indian population, Gandhi led a campaign of civil disobedience that would last for the next eight years. During its final phase in , hundreds of Indians living in South Africa, including women, went to jail, and thousands of striking Indian miners were imprisoned, flogged and even shot.

Finally, under pressure from the British and Indian governments, the government of South Africa accepted a compromise negotiated by Gandhi and General Jan Christian Smuts, which included important concessions such as the recognition of Indian marriages and the abolition of the existing poll tax for Indians. He supported the British war effort in World War I but remained critical of colonial authorities for measures he felt were unjust.

He backed off after violence broke out—including the massacre by British-led soldiers of some Indians attending a meeting at Amritsar—but only temporarily, and by he was the most visible figure in the movement for Indian independence. The iconic Indian activist, known for his principle of nonviolent resistance, had humble beginnings and left an outsized legacy.

As part of his nonviolent non-cooperation campaign for home rule, Gandhi stressed the importance of economic independence for India. He particularly advocated the manufacture of khaddar, or homespun cloth, in order to replace imported textiles from Britain. Invested with all the authority of the Indian National Congress INC or Congress Party , Gandhi turned the independence movement into a massive organization, leading boycotts of British manufacturers and institutions representing British influence in India, including legislatures and schools.

His dietary choices, including vegetarianism and fasting, reflected his spiritual beliefs and commitment to non-violence, further cementing his role as a moral leader. Despite his efforts to unite diverse religious communities in India, his assassination in by a Hindu extremist highlighted the deep divisions within the country. His father, Karamchand Gandhi, served as a chief minister, while his mother, Putlibai, was a deeply religious woman who instilled values of spirituality and non-violence in him.

Initially, Gandhi was a timid and somewhat unremarkable student, struggling with confidence and societal expectations. Despite aspirations to become a doctor, family pressures guided him towards the legal profession, leading him to England in to study law. Gandhi's time in London was marked by his struggle to adapt to Western culture, alongside a growing commitment to vegetarianism and a deeper exploration of various religious philosophies.

This period was transformative for Gandhi, as he began to embrace values aligned with Jainism and Hinduism, including non-violence and simplicity. Returning to India in after his studies, he faced challenges as a lawyer, including a humiliating experience in court that accelerated his journey toward civil rights advocacy. This foundational stage in Gandhi's life ignited his passion for justice, which would later define his leadership in India's non-violent independence movement against British rule.

Gandhi's notable career began in South Africa, where he first encountered the harsh realities of racial discrimination. After arriving in Durban in to fulfill a legal contract, Gandhi was shocked by the unsettling treatment of Indian immigrants by the white authorities. His pivotal moment occurred during a train journey when he was forcibly removed from a first-class compartment simply for being Indian, despite holding a valid ticket.

This incident ignited a fire within him, leading Gandhi to dedicate himself to combating discrimination and the deep-seated prejudice against Indians in South Africa through peaceful means. In response to the injustices he witnessed, Gandhi established the Natal Indian Congress in , aiming to address and alleviate the suffering of his fellow Indian citizens.

His approach combined the principles of nonviolence and passive resistance, emphasizing moral courage over physical aggression.