Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (pronounced [monda s krmtnd and i] ( listen); 2 October 1869 3 !

!anuar" 19#8) $as t%e preeminent leader o&' ndian nationalism in (ritis%)ruled 'ndia* +mplo"in, non-iolent ci-il disobedience. /and%i led 'ndia to independence and inspired mo-ements &or ci-il ri,%ts and &reedom across t%e $orld* 0%e %onori&ic Mahatma (1anskrit2 3%i,%)souled3. 3-enerable3[2])4applied to %im &irst in 191# in 1out% 5&rica.[3]4is no$ used $orld$ide* 6e is also called Bapu /u7arati2 endearment &or 3&at%er3. [#] 3papa3[4][5]) in 'ndia* (orn and raised in a 6indu. merc%ant caste. &amil" in coastal /u7arat. $estern 'ndia. and trained in la$ at t%e 'nner 0emple. 8ondon. /and%i &irst emplo"ed non-iolent ci-il disobedience as an e9patriate la$"er in 1out% 5&rica. in t%e resident 'ndian communit":s stru,,le &or ci-il ri,%ts* 5&ter %is return to 'ndia in 191;. %e set about or,anisin, peasants. &armers. and urban labourers to protest a,ainst e9cessi-e land)ta9 and discrimination* 5ssumin, leaders%ip o& t%e 'ndian <ational =on,ress in 1921. /and%i led nation$ide campai,ns &or easin, po-ert". e9pandin, $omen:s ri,%ts. buildin, reli,ious and et%nic amit". endin, untouc%abilit". but abo-e all &or ac%ie-in, Swaraj or sel&)rule* /and%i &amousl" led 'ndians in c%allen,in, t%e (ritis%)imposed salt ta9 $it% t%e # km (2; mi) >andi 1alt ?arc% in 193 . and later in callin, &or t%e (ritis% to Quit India in 19#2* 6e $as imprisoned &or man" "ears. upon man" occasions. in bot% 1out% 5&rica and 'ndia* /and%i attempted to practise non-iolence and trut% in all situations. and ad-ocated t%at ot%ers do t%e same* 6e li-ed modestl" in a sel&)su&&icient residential communit" and $ore t%e traditional 'ndian dhoti and s%a$l. $o-en $it% "arn %and spun on a charkha* 6e ate simple -e,etarian &ood. and also undertook lon, &asts as means o& bot% sel&)puri&ication and social protest* /and%i:s -ision o& a &ree 'ndia based on reli,ious pluralism. %o$e-er. $as c%allen,ed in t%e earl" 19# s b" a ne$ ?uslim nationalism $%ic% $as demandin, a separate ?uslim %omeland car-ed out o& 'ndia*[6] +-entuall". in 5u,ust 19#@. (ritain ,ranted independence. but t%e (ritis% 'ndian +mpire[6] $as partitioned into t$o dominions. a 6indu)ma7orit" 'ndia and ?uslim Aakistan*[@] 5s man" displaced 6indus. ?uslims. and 1ik%s made t%eir $a" to t%eir ne$ lands. reli,ious -iolence broke out. especiall" in t%e Aun7ab and (en,al* +sc%e$in, t%e o&&icial celebration o& independence in >el%i. /and%i -isited t%e a&&ected areas. attemptin, to pro-ide solace* 'n t%e mont%s &ollo$in,. %e undertook se-eral &asts unto deat% to promote reli,ious %armon"* 0%e last o& t%ese. undertaken on 12 !anuar" 19#8 at a,e @8.[8] also %ad t%e indirect ,oal o& pressurin, 'ndia to pa" out some cas% assets o$ed to Aakistan*[8] 1ome 'ndians t%ou,%t /and%i $as too accommodatin,*[8][9] 5mon, t%em $as <at%uram /odse. a 6indu nationalist. $%o assassinated /and%i on 3 !anuar" 19#8 b" &irin, t%ree bullets into %is c%est at point)blank ran,e*[9] /and%i is commonl". t%ou,% not o&&iciall".[1

] considered t%e Bat%er o& t%e <ation[11]in 'ndia* 6is birt%da". 2

October. is commemorated t%ere as /and%i !a"anti. anational %olida". and $orld)$ide as t%e 'nternational >a" o& <on-iolence* 'ndians in 1out% 5&rica $ere led b" $ealt%" ?uslims. $%o emplo"ed /and%i as a la$"er. and b" impo-eris%ed 6indu indentured labourers $it% -er" limited ri,%ts* /and%i considered t%em all to be 'ndians. takin, a li&etime -ie$ t%at 3'ndianness3 transcended reli,ion and caste* 6e belie-ed %e could brid,e %istoric di&&erences. especiall" re,ardin, reli,ion. and %e took t%at belie& back to 'ndia $%ere %e tried to implement it* /and%i e9tended %is ori,inal period o& sta" in 1out% 5&rica to assist 'ndians in opposin, a bill to den" t%em t%e ri,%t to -ote*

Gandhi and the Africans

/and%i &ocused %is attention on 'ndians $%ile in 1out% 5&rica and opposed t%e idea t%at 'ndians s%ould be treated at t%e same le-el as nati-e 5&ricans $%ile in 1out% 5&rica*[47][48][49] 6e also stated t%at %e belie-ed 3t%at t%e $%ite race o& 1out% 5&rica s%ould be t%e predominatin, race*3[; ] 5&ter se-eral treatments %e recei-ed &rom C%ites in 1out% 5&rica. /and%i be,an to c%an,e %is t%inkin, and apparentl" increased %is interest in politics* [;1] C%ite rule en&orced strict se,re,ation amon, all races and ,enerated con&lict bet$een t%ese communities* (%ana and Da%ed ar,ue t%at /and%i. at &irst. s%ared racial notions pre-alent o& t%e times and t%at %is e9periences in 7ail sensitiEed %im to t%e pli,%t o& 1out% 5&rica:s indi,enous peoples

Role in World War I

See also: The role of India in World War I 'n 5pril 1918. durin, t%e latter part o& Corld Car '. t%e Dicero" in-ited /and%i to a Car =on&erence in >el%i* [6 ] Aer%aps to s%o$ %is support &or t%e +mpire and %elp %is case &or 'ndia:s independence.[61] /and%i a,reed to acti-el" recruit 'ndians &or t%e $ar e&&ort*[62] 'n contrast to t%e Fulu Car o& 19 6 and t%e outbreak o& Corld Car ' in 191#. $%en %e recruited -olunteers &or t%e 5mbulance =orps. t%is time /and%i attempted to recruit combatants* 'n a !une 1918 lea&let entitled 35ppeal &or +nlistment3. /and%i $rote 30o brin, about suc% a state o& t%in,s $e s%ould %a-e t%e abilit" to de&end oursel-es. t%at is. t%e abilit" to bear arms and to use t%em***'& $e $ant to learn t%e use o& arms $it% t%e ,reatest possible despatc%. it is our dut" to enlist oursel-es in t%e arm"*3[63] 6e did. %o$e-er. stipulate in a letter to t%e Dicero":s pri-ate secretar" t%at %e 3personall" $ill not kill or in7ure an"bod". &riend or &oe*3[6#]

=%amparan and G%eda /and%i:s $ar recruitment campai,n brou,%t into Huestion %is consistenc" on non-iolence* /and%i:s pri-ate secretar" noted t%at 30%e Huestion o& t%e consistenc" bet$een %is creed o& :5%imsa: (non-iolence) and %is recruitin, campai,n $as raised not onl" t%en but %as been discussed e-er since*3[62] /and%i:s &irst ma7or ac%ie-ements came in 1918 $it% t%e =%amparan and G%eda a,itations o& (i%ar and /u7arat* 0%e =%amparan a,itation pitted t%e local peasantr" a,ainst t%eir lar,el" (ritis% landlords $%o $ere backed b" t%e local administration* 0%e peasantr" $as &orced to ,ro$ 'ndi,o. a cas% crop $%ose demand %ad been declinin, o-er t$o decades. and $ere &orced to sell t%eir crops to t%e planters at a &i9ed price* In%app" $it% t%is. t%e peasantr" appealed to /and%i at %is as%ram in 5%medabad* Aursuin, a strate," o& non-iolent protest. /and%i took t%e administration b" surprise and $on concessions &rom t%e aut%orities*[6;]

World War II and Quit India

/and%i initiall" &a-oured o&&erin, 3non-iolent moral support3 to t%e (ritis% e&&ort $%en Corld Car '' broke out in 1939. but t%e =on,ressional leaders $ere o&&ended b" t%e unilateral inclusion o& 'ndia in t%e $ar $it%out consultation o& t%e people:s representati-es* 5ll =on,ressmen resi,ned &rom o&&ice*[1 6] 5&ter lon, deliberations. /and%i declared t%at 'ndia could not be part" to a $ar ostensibl" bein, &ou,%t &or democratic &reedom $%ile t%at &reedom $as denied to 'ndia itsel&* 5s t%e $ar pro,ressed. /and%i intensi&ied %is demand &or independence. callin, &or t%e (ritis% to Quit India in a speec% at /o$alia 0ank ?aidan* 0%is $as /and%i:s and t%e =on,ress Aart":s most de&initi-e re-olt aimed at securin, t%e (ritis% e9it &rom 'ndia*[1 @] /and%i $as criticised b" some =on,ress part" members and ot%er 'ndian political ,roups. bot% pro)(ritis% and anti) (ritis%* 1ome &elt t%at not supportin, (ritain more in its stru,,le a,ainst <aEi /erman" $as unet%ical* Ot%ers &elt

t%at /and%i:s re&usal &or 'ndia to participate in t%e $ar $as insu&&icient and more direct opposition s%ould be taken. $%ile (ritain &ou,%t a,ainst <aEism. it continued to re&use to ,rant 'ndia 'ndependence* Quit India became t%e most &orce&ul mo-ement in t%e %istor" o& t%e stru,,le. $it% mass arrests and -iolence on an unprecedented scale*[1 8] /and%i and t%e entire =on,ress Corkin, =ommittee $ere arrested in (omba" b" t%e (ritis% on 9 5u,ust 19#2* /and%i $as %eld &or t$o "ears in t%e 5,a G%an Aalace in Aune* 't $as %ere t%at /and%i su&&ered t$o terrible blo$s in %is personal li&e* 6is ; )"ear old secretar" ?a%ade- >esai died o& a %eart attack 6 da"s later and %is $i&e Gasturba died a&ter 18 mont%s imprisonment on 22 Bebruar" 19##; si9 $eeks later /and%i su&&ered a se-ere malaria attack* 6e $as released be&ore t%e end o& t%e $ar on 6 ?a" 19## because o& %is &ailin, %ealt% and necessar" sur,er"; t%e Ja7 did not $ant %im to die in prison and enra,e t%e nation* 6e came out o& detention to an altered political scene4t%e ?uslim 8ea,ue &or e9ample. $%ic% a &e$ "ears earlier %ad appeared mar,inal. 3no$ occupied t%e centre o& t%e political sta,e3[112] and t%e topic o& !inna%:s campai,n &or Aakistan $as a ma7or talkin, point* /and%i met !inna% in 1eptember 19## in (omba" but !inna% re7ected. on t%e ,rounds t%at it &ell s%ort o& a &ull" independent Aakistan. %is proposal o& t%e ri,%t o& ?uslim pro-inces to opt out o& substantial parts o& t%e &ort%comin, political union*[113][114]

Partition and independence, 1947

5s a rule. /and%i $as opposed to t%e concept o& partition as it contradicted %is -ision o& reli,ious unit"* [11@] =oncernin, t%e partition o& 'ndia to create Aakistan. $%ile t%e 'ndian <ational =on,ress and /and%i called &or t%e (ritis% to Huit 'ndia. t%e ?uslim 8ea,ue passed a resolution &or t%em to di-ide and Huit. in 19#3*[118] /and%i su,,ested an a,reement $%ic% reHuired t%e =on,ress and ?uslim 8ea,ue to cooperate and attain independence under a pro-isional ,o-ernment. t%erea&ter. t%e Huestion o& partition could be resol-ed b" a plebiscite in t%e districts $it% a ?uslim ma7orit"*[119] C%en !inna% called &or >irect 5ction. on 16 5u,ust 19#6. /and%i $as in&uriated and personall" -isited t%e most riot)prone areas to stop t%e massacres*[12 ] 6e made stron, e&&orts to unite t%e 'ndian 6indus. ?uslims. and =%ristians and stru,,led &or t%e emancipation o& t%e 3untouc%ables3 in 6indu societ"*[121] On 1# and 1; 5u,ust 19#@ t%e 'ndian 'ndependence 5ct $as in-oked* 'n border areas some 1 12 million people mo-ed &rom one side to anot%er and up$ards o& a %al& million $ere killed in communal riots pittin, 6indus. ?uslims. and 1ik%s a,ainst eac% ot%er*[122] (ut &or %is teac%in,s. t%e e&&orts o& %is &ollo$ers. and %is o$n presence. t%ere per%aps could %a-e been muc% more bloods%ed durin, t%e partition. accordin, to prominent <or$e,ian %istorian. !ens 5rup 1eip*[123] 1tanle" Colpert %as ar,ued. t%e 3plan to car-e up (ritis% 'ndia $as ne-er appro-ed o& or accepted b" /and%i***$%o realised too late t%at %is closest comrades and disciples $ere more interested in po$er t%an principle. and t%at %is o$n -ision %ad lon, been clouded b" t%e illusion t%at t%e stru,,le %e led &or 'ndia:s independence $as a non-iolent one*3[1 5ssassination ?o%andas Garamc%and /and%i $as assassinated in t%e ,arden o& t%e &ormer (irla 6ouse(no$ /and%i 1mriti) at ;21@ A? on 3 !anuar" 19#8* 5ccompanied b" %is ,randnieces. /and%i $as on %is $a" to address a pra"er meetin,. $%en %is assassin. <at%uram /odse. &ired t%ree bullets &rom a (eretta 9 mm pistol into %is c%est at point) blank ran,e*[12;] /odse $as a 6indu nationalist $it% links to t%e e9tremist 6indu ?a%asab%a. $%o %eld /and%i ,uilt" o& &a-ourin, Aakistan and stron,l" opposed t%e doctrine o& non-iolence*[126] /odse and %is co)conspirator $ere tried and e9ecuted in 19#9* /and%i:s memorial (or Samdhi) at JK7 /%Kt. <e$ >el%i. bears t%e epi,rap% 36L Jam3 (>e-ana,ari2 ! or. He Rm). $%ic% ma" be translated as 3O% /od3* 0%ese are $idel" belie-ed to be /and%i:s last $ords a&ter %e $as s%ot. t%ou,% t%e -eracit" o& t%is statement %as been disputed*[12@] Arime ?inister !a$a%arlal <e%ru addressed t%e nation t%rou,% radio2[128]

Briends and comrades. t%e li,%t %as ,one out o& our li-es. and t%ere is darkness e-er"$%ere. and ' do not Huite kno$ $%at to tell "ou or %o$ to sa" it* Our belo-ed leader. (apu as $e called %im. t%e &at%er o& t%e nation. is no more* Aer%aps ' am $ron, to sa" t%at; ne-ert%eless. $e $ill not see %im a,ain. as $e %a-e seen %im &or t%ese man" "ears. $e $ill not run to %im &or ad-ice or seek solace &rom %im. and t%at is a terrible blo$. not onl" &or me. but &or millions and millions in t%is countr"*4!a$a%arlal <e%ru:s address to /and%i[129]