The Biography of

Mahatma Gandhi

Social Studies FA 4 Activity

Biography of Mahatma Gandhi

Early Life
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October, 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. His fathers
name was Karamchand Gandhi. On 21 January 1879, Mohandas entered the local district school
in Rajkot. At school, he was taught the rudiments of arithmetic, history, the Gujarati language
and geography. Despite being only an average student in his year there, in October 1880 he sat
the entrance examination for Kathiawar High School, in Rajkot. He passed the examinations
with a creditable average of 64 % and was enrolled the following year. His attendance and marks
remained average. Gandhi shone neither in the classroom nor on the playing field. The terminal
reports rated him as "good at English, fair in Arithmetic and weak in Geography; conduct very
good & bad handwriting". In May 1883, the 13-year-old was married to Kasturba Gandhi.

Involvement in National Movement

He did not merely guide a political struggle; he imposed upon it a unique moral code and a new
technique of action of non-violence, while every national movement for liberation involved
violence, his struggle for freedom was non-violent. Gandhiji organized many movements. They
areNon Co-operation Movement: This movement lasted from September 1920 to February
1922.. The movement was started with the thought in mind that the British rule had lasted
in India only because of the cooperation by Indians. If Indians refused to cooperate then
India would gain Independence. The Movement soon caught national attention. People left
their offices, jobs, factories or any other business which
cooperated the British. People forced their children out of the
government schools and colleges. People started following him
in all parts of the country. The movement soon ended because of
the Chauri Chaurah incident.
Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha: The Salt Satyagraha was
started by Mahatma Gandhi on 12 March 1930 from Sabarmati
Ashram to 5 April till Dandi, Gujarat where he manufactured
Salt, broke the Salt Law and started a nationwide Civil
disobedience. It was a direct action campaign of tax resistance and non-violent protest
against the British salt monopoly in colonial India, and triggered the wider Civil
Disobedience Movement. This was the most significant challenge to British authority since
the Non- cooperation movement of 192022.

Quit India Movement: The Quit India movement was the final of the three major
nationalist movements in India. It was started in August, 1942. Though the Quit India
Movement ended within a very short time it will be a mistake to suppose that the movement
was a total failure. Firstly, the movement revealed the determination of the people to
undergo any amount of suffering for the cause of the country. Secondly, the 1942
Movement marked the end of Indias struggle for freedom and may be regarded as an apex
of the freedom struggle. Thirdly, the violent mass upsurge of 1942 convinced the British
ruler that their hold was sure to collapse in India sooner or later.

Achievements
The following are Gandhijis achievements:

Gandhi was a successful lawyer with a law office in South Africa.

Gandhi led a 200 mile Salt March so that the people of India could make and gather
their own salt. His goal was for the people of India not to buy salt from the British.
Gandhi went on a 21 day fast to protest against the war between the Muslims and
the Hindus and also to protest against Great Britain for Indias independence.
The greatest achievements of Gandhi was his life-long fight for Independence. His
dream for his country's independence finally became reality on August 15, 1947.

Place in History
Mahatma Gandhi has a very important role in Indian history and he is commonly revered
as the Father of the Nation. In Indian history, he is one of the main icon who helped
India attaining freedom from the British on 14th August 1947.

By- Kshitij Parashar

Grade 8A, DMIS, Doha, Qatar