Essay on Mahatma Gandhi – Contributions and Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi

500+ words essay on mahatma gandhi.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi – Mahatma Gandhi was a great patriotic Indian, if not the greatest. He was a man of an unbelievably great personality. He certainly does not need anyone like me praising him. Furthermore, his efforts for Indian independence are unparalleled. Most noteworthy, there would have been a significant delay in independence without him. Consequently, the British because of his pressure left India in 1947. In this essay on Mahatma Gandhi, we will see his contribution and legacy.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Contributions of Mahatma Gandhi

First of all, Mahatma Gandhi was a notable public figure. His role in social and political reform was instrumental. Above all, he rid the society of these social evils. Hence, many oppressed people felt great relief because of his efforts. Gandhi became a famous international figure because of these efforts. Furthermore, he became the topic of discussion in many international media outlets.

Mahatma Gandhi made significant contributions to environmental sustainability. Most noteworthy, he said that each person should consume according to his needs. The main question that he raised was “How much should a person consume?”. Gandhi certainly put forward this question.

Furthermore, this model of sustainability by Gandhi holds huge relevance in current India. This is because currently, India has a very high population . There has been the promotion of renewable energy and small-scale irrigation systems. This was due to Gandhiji’s campaigns against excessive industrial development.

Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence is probably his most important contribution. This philosophy of non-violence is known as Ahimsa. Most noteworthy, Gandhiji’s aim was to seek independence without violence. He decided to quit the Non-cooperation movement after the Chauri-Chaura incident . This was due to the violence at the Chauri Chaura incident. Consequently, many became upset at this decision. However, Gandhi was relentless in his philosophy of Ahimsa.

Secularism is yet another contribution of Gandhi. His belief was that no religion should have a monopoly on the truth. Mahatma Gandhi certainly encouraged friendship between different religions.

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Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi has influenced many international leaders around the world. His struggle certainly became an inspiration for leaders. Such leaders are Martin Luther King Jr., James Beve, and James Lawson. Furthermore, Gandhi influenced Nelson Mandela for his freedom struggle. Also, Lanza del Vasto came to India to live with Gandhi.

mahatma gandhi essay short form

The awards given to Mahatma Gandhi are too many to discuss. Probably only a few nations remain which have not awarded Mahatma Gandhi.

In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi was one of the greatest political icons ever. Most noteworthy, Indians revere by describing him as the “father of the nation”. His name will certainly remain immortal for all generations.

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FAQs on Mahatma Gandhi

Q.1 Why Mahatma Gandhi decided to stop Non-cooperation movement?

A.1 Mahatma Gandhi decided to stop the Non-cooperation movement. This was due to the infamous Chauri-Chaura incident. There was significant violence at this incident. Furthermore, Gandhiji was strictly against any kind of violence.

Q.2 Name any two leaders influenced by Mahatma Gandhi?

A.2 Two leaders influenced by Mahatma Gandhi are Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela.

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Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

In today’s session, you will learn to write short essays on the life of the father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi. I’ll try to adopt a very simplistic approach to writing these short essays for a better understanding of all kinds of students. 

Feature image of Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 100 Words

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Nation, was one of the greatest political leaders of India. His original name is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Gandhiji was born on 2nd October 1869, in Porbandar, in Gujrat. Brought up by Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai, Mohandas grew up to be quite honest and truthful. His autobiography, My Experiments with Truth gives details of his childhood and adult life.

Gandhiji studied law and went to South Africa as a barrister, where he fought for the independence of Africa. Returning back to India he engaged in its freedom movement against the British and formed The Indian National Congress along with other influential personalities. Gandhi was assassinated on 30th January 1948 during his prayers. 

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 200 Words

Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, played a significant role in the Indian freedom movement against the British rule in India that reigned for over 200 years. As one of the greatest leaders of India, he struggled for our freedom, not through bloodshed, but through non-violence or Ahimsa. It was the greatest achievement of Gandhiji to teach the Indians the way to peace and non-violence. 

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar in Gujrat, His parents, Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai were extremely religious and devoted to family and God. From the very childhood, Gandhi was diligent in his studies and successfully attained his education. During his secondary level, he was married off to Kasturba Gandhi. Gandhiji studied law and went to South Africa as a barrister. But receiving tremendous racial hatred by the British, he decided to fight against this suffering. He fought for its independence and soon returned to India.

He became the leader of the nation by his motives of Ahimsa and Satyagraha. He conducted several movements against the British Raj and formed the Indian National Congress with other leaders. Through non-violence, he achieved India’s freedom. However, he could not support the partition. Due to philosophical works, Rabindranath named him the Mahatma. Gandhiji was assassinated by Nathuram Godse during his prayers on 30th January 1948.

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 400 Words

The Bapu of India, whom Tagore conferred the title Mahatma for his deep insights towards life and God, Mahatma Gandhi was one of the greatest leaders of India. Using the ways of Ahimsa or non-violence, he showed how without bloodshed getting freedom is possible, He preached and practised the ways of Satyagraha or embracing nothing but the Truth. 

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar in Gujrat.His father Karamchand Gandhi was a government official, while his mother Putlibai was a religious woman. Gandhiji in his childhood was greatly influenced by his parents. He grew up to be pious and sacred towards all living beings. After shifting to Rajkot with his after, he received his primary education there. During his secondary level, his family settled his marriage with Kasturba.

Mohandas was a diligent student and attained his degrees easily. Even in his school life, he never once took evil means to pass any examination. Once he stole some gold from his brother’s bracelet. But later realizing the theft he directly confessed it to his father. The forgiveness of his father changed his soul. All this enabled him to be a better person.

Gandhiji soon became a barrister and went to South Africa to study law. But receiving racial hatred on his way in the train by a British officer, he decided to stay there and fight for human rights. He learned about the ill-treatment of the Africans and Indians and involved himself entirely in it. Giving Africa its independence he returned to India and fought for its independence against British rule. He built the Sabarmati Ashram that soon became the centre of the revolution.

He founded the Ahimsa or non-violence to fight against them. He conducted several movements like the Non-Cooperation movement, The Dandi Salt March, the Civil Disobedience Movement and observed fasts to speed up the national struggle. His ways gave inspiration to all Indians. He was associated with Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Vallavbhai Patel in the formation of the Indian National Congress. Gandhiji initiated the boycott of foreign goods and the usage of indigenous products. 

During the Quit India movement, he united all by the slogan Do or Die. Soon India achieved freedom under his leadership. Although he could not accept the partition. On 30th October 1948, during his prayer, he was murdered by Nathuram Godse at gunpoint. Jawaharlal Nehru, upon his death, said, ‘’The light has gone out of our lives and it is darkness everywhere.’’ 

In this session above, I have tried to discuss almost every aspect of Mahatma Gandhi’s life within limited words. Hopefully, now you have a holistic idea about writing short essays on his life. If you still have any doubts regarding this session, kindly let me know through the comment section below. Keep browsing our website to read more such short essays on various important topics. 

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Mahatma Gandhi

By: History.com Editors

Updated: June 6, 2019 | Original: July 30, 2010

Mahatma GandhiIndian statesman and activist Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869 - 1948), circa 1940. (Photo by Dinodia Photos/Getty Images)

Revered the world over for his nonviolent philosophy of passive resistance, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was known to his many followers as Mahatma, or “the great-souled one.” He began his activism as an Indian immigrant in South Africa in the early 1900s, and in the years following World War I became the leading figure in India’s struggle to gain independence from Great Britain. Known for his ascetic lifestyle–he often dressed only in a loincloth and shawl–and devout Hindu faith, Gandhi was imprisoned several times during his pursuit of non-cooperation, and undertook a number of hunger strikes to protest the oppression of India’s poorest classes, among other injustices. After Partition in 1947, he continued to work toward peace between Hindus and Muslims. Gandhi was shot to death in Delhi in January 1948 by a Hindu fundamentalist.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, at Porbandar, in the present-day Indian state of Gujarat. His father was the dewan (chief minister) of Porbandar; his deeply religious mother was a devoted practitioner of Vaishnavism (worship of the Hindu god Vishnu), influenced by Jainism, an ascetic religion governed by tenets of self-discipline and nonviolence. At the age of 19, Mohandas left home to study law in London at the Inner Temple, one of the city’s four law colleges. Upon returning to India in mid-1891, he set up a law practice in Bombay, but met with little success. He soon accepted a position with an Indian firm that sent him to its office in South Africa. Along with his wife, Kasturbai, and their children, Gandhi remained in South Africa for nearly 20 years.

Did you know? In the famous Salt March of April-May 1930, thousands of Indians followed Gandhi from Ahmadabad to the Arabian Sea. The march resulted in the arrest of nearly 60,000 people, including Gandhi himself.

Gandhi was appalled by the discrimination he experienced as an Indian immigrant in South Africa. When a European magistrate in Durban asked him to take off his turban, he refused and left the courtroom. On a train voyage to Pretoria, he was thrown out of a first-class railway compartment and beaten up by a white stagecoach driver after refusing to give up his seat for a European passenger. That train journey served as a turning point for Gandhi, and he soon began developing and teaching the concept of satyagraha (“truth and firmness”), or passive resistance, as a way of non-cooperation with authorities.

The Birth of Passive Resistance

In 1906, 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 1913, 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.

In July 1914, Gandhi left South Africa to return to India. He supported the British war effort in World War I but remained critical of colonial authorities for measures he felt were unjust. In 1919, Gandhi launched an organized campaign of passive resistance in response to Parliament’s passage of the Rowlatt Acts, which gave colonial authorities emergency powers to suppress subversive activities. He backed off after violence broke out–including the massacre by British-led soldiers of some 400 Indians attending a meeting at Amritsar–but only temporarily, and by 1920 he was the most visible figure in the movement for Indian independence.

Leader of a Movement

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. Gandhi’s eloquence and embrace of an ascetic lifestyle based on prayer, fasting and meditation earned him the reverence of his followers, who called him Mahatma (Sanskrit for “the great-souled one”). 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.

After sporadic violence broke out, Gandhi announced the end of the resistance movement, to the dismay of his followers. British authorities arrested Gandhi in March 1922 and tried him for sedition; he was sentenced to six years in prison but was released in 1924 after undergoing an operation for appendicitis. He refrained from active participation in politics for the next several years, but in 1930 launched a new civil disobedience campaign against the colonial government’s tax on salt, which greatly affected Indian’s poorest citizens.

A Divided Movement

In 1931, after British authorities made some concessions, Gandhi again called off the resistance movement and agreed to represent the Congress Party at the Round Table Conference in London. Meanwhile, some of his party colleagues–particularly Mohammed Ali Jinnah, a leading voice for India’s Muslim minority–grew frustrated with Gandhi’s methods, and what they saw as a lack of concrete gains. Arrested upon his return by a newly aggressive colonial government, Gandhi began a series of hunger strikes in protest of the treatment of India’s so-called “untouchables” (the poorer classes), whom he renamed Harijans, or “children of God.” The fasting caused an uproar among his followers and resulted in swift reforms by the Hindu community and the government.

In 1934, Gandhi announced his retirement from politics in, as well as his resignation from the Congress Party, in order to concentrate his efforts on working within rural communities. Drawn back into the political fray by the outbreak of World War II , Gandhi again took control of the INC, demanding a British withdrawal from India in return for Indian cooperation with the war effort. Instead, British forces imprisoned the entire Congress leadership, bringing Anglo-Indian relations to a new low point.

Partition and Death of Gandhi

After the Labor Party took power in Britain in 1947, negotiations over Indian home rule began between the British, the Congress Party and the Muslim League (now led by Jinnah). Later that year, Britain granted India its independence but split the country into two dominions: India and Pakistan. Gandhi strongly opposed Partition, but he agreed to it in hopes that after independence Hindus and Muslims could achieve peace internally. Amid the massive riots that followed Partition, Gandhi urged Hindus and Muslims to live peacefully together, and undertook a hunger strike until riots in Calcutta ceased.

In January 1948, Gandhi carried out yet another fast, this time to bring about peace in the city of Delhi. On January 30, 12 days after that fast ended, Gandhi was on his way to an evening prayer meeting in Delhi when he was shot to death by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic enraged by Mahatma’s efforts to negotiate with Jinnah and other Muslims. The next day, roughly 1 million people followed the procession as Gandhi’s body was carried in state through the streets of the city and cremated on the banks of the holy Jumna River.

salt march, 1930, indians, gandhi, ahmadabad, arabian sea, british salt taxes

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Short Essay: Mahatma Gandhi

A couple of short essay examples on Mahatma Gandi.

Table of Contents

Mahatma Gandhi Essay Example 1

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation, was a prominent nationalist leader who played a significant role in India’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule. He was a man of great integrity, courage, and wisdom, who devoted his life to the service of his people and the world at large. Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience has inspired generations of leaders and activists worldwide to fight for justice and equality. In this essay, we will explore the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and his impact on the world.

Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town in present-day Gujarat, India. He was the youngest child of Karamchand Gandhi, a prominent lawyer, and Putlibai Gandhi, a devout Hindu. Gandhi was a shy and introverted child, who was deeply influenced by his mother’s religious and moral teachings. He was educated in India and later in London, where he studied law. After completing his studies, Gandhi returned to India and began his legal practice in Bombay. However, he was not satisfied with his profession and soon became involved in social and political work.

Gandhi’s activism began in South Africa, where he lived for more than 20 years. He was shocked by the discrimination and violence faced by the Indian community in South Africa and became their spokesperson. Gandhi’s struggle against racial discrimination in South Africa led to the development of his philosophy of Satyagraha, or truth-force. He believed that nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience were the most effective means of achieving social and political change. Gandhi’s use of nonviolent resistance inspired many other civil rights movements around the world, including the American civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr.

Gandhi’s return to India in 1915 marked the beginning of his involvement in the Indian independence movement. He became the leader of the Indian National Congress, which was the main political organization fighting for India’s freedom from British colonial rule. Gandhi’s approach to the independence struggle was based on nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience. He organized mass protests, strikes, and boycotts of British goods and institutions, which often led to violent clashes with the authorities. However, Gandhi always insisted on nonviolence and urged his followers to remain peaceful, even in the face of brutal repression.

Gandhi’s leadership and philosophy had a profound impact on the Indian independence movement. He inspired millions of Indians to join the struggle for freedom and helped to unite the diverse Indian society against the common enemy of British colonialism. Gandhi’s vision of a free and independent India was based on the principles of democracy, equality, and social justice. He advocated for the rights of women, Dalits (formerly known as untouchables), and other marginalized groups. Gandhi’s legacy in India and the world is immense, and his philosophy of nonviolent resistance continues to inspire social and political movements around the globe.

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, by a Hindu extremist who opposed his policy of nonviolence and religious tolerance. Gandhi’s death was a great loss to India and the world, but his legacy lives on. Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience has inspired many leaders and activists to fight for justice and equality. His teachings on social and political change are still relevant today, as the world faces many challenges such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. Gandhi’s message of love, compassion, and truth is a beacon of hope for all humanity, and his life and legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.

Mahatma Gandhi was a visionary leader, who dedicated his life to the service of his people and the world at large. He was a man of great integrity, courage, and wisdom, who inspired millions of people to fight for justice and equality. Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience has had a profound impact on the world, and his teachings are still relevant today. Gandhi’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and truth, and his life and work will continue to inspire generations to come.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay Example 2

Mahatma Gandhi is a name that is synonymous with India’s struggle for independence from British rule. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern history, whose philosophy of nonviolent resistance has inspired countless movements for social and political change. Gandhi’s legacy continues to inspire people globally to fight for justice and equality through peaceful means. In this essay, I will explore the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, focusing on his role in India’s struggle for independence, his philosophy of nonviolence, and his lasting impact on the world.

Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town in present-day Gujarat, India. He was the youngest of four sons and was raised in a Hindu family. In 1888, Gandhi traveled to London to study law at University College London. After completing his studies, he returned to India in 1891 and started his law practice in Bombay.

Despite his successful career as a lawyer, Gandhi became increasingly involved in India’s struggle for independence from British rule. In 1915, he returned to India from South Africa, where he had been living and working for many years, and quickly became a prominent nationalist leader. He advocated for Indian independence through nonviolent means, and his philosophy of Satyagraha, or “truth force,” became a guiding principle for the Indian independence movement.

Gandhi’s leadership was instrumental in India’s struggle for independence from British rule, which culminated in 1947 when India gained its independence. Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence inspired countless others around the world, including civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States.

Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence was rooted in his belief that all people are equal and that violence only begets more violence. He believed that nonviolence was a more powerful weapon than violence, and that it could be used to achieve social and political change without harming others.

Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence was put to the test during India’s struggle for independence. He led mass protests, boycotts, and other forms of civil disobedience, all of which were carried out peacefully. Gandhi’s commitment to nonviolence inspired millions of Indians to join the independence movement, and his leadership helped to unite the country in its struggle for freedom.

Gandhi’s legacy of nonviolence has inspired countless others around the world to fight for social and political change through peaceful means. His philosophy has been used by civil rights and social justice movements around the world, including in the United States, South Africa, and Latin America.

Gandhi’s legacy continues to inspire people around the world to fight for justice and equality through peaceful means. His philosophy of nonviolence has been used by countless movements for social and political change, and his ideas continue to be studied and discussed by scholars and activists alike.

Gandhi’s life and legacy serve as a reminder of the power of peaceful resistance in the face of injustice and oppression. His commitment to nonviolence and his unwavering belief in the power of truth and justice have inspired generations of people to fight for a better world.

In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi was a remarkable leader whose life and legacy continue to inspire people around the world. His philosophy of nonviolence and his commitment to social and political change through peaceful means have had a lasting impact on the world. Gandhi’s leadership was instrumental in India’s struggle for independence, and his ideas continue to guide movements for social and political change today. As we reflect on Gandhi’s life and legacy, we are reminded of the power of peaceful resistance in the face of injustice and oppression.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay Example 3

Mahatma Gandhi is an iconic figure in Indian history who played a crucial role in India’s independence movement. He was a leader, activist, philosopher, and politician who dedicated his life to achieving social justice and political freedom for his country. Gandhi’s teachings on nonviolent civil disobedience and his philosophy of satyagraha have inspired social justice movements around the world. In this essay, I will delve into the life, works, and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. He was the youngest child of Karamchand Gandhi, a chief minister in Porbandar, and his fourth wife, Putlibai. Gandhi was a bright student who completed his primary education in India and moved to London to study law in 1888. After completing his education, he returned to India in 1891 and started his legal practice in Bombay. However, Gandhi was not satisfied with his career and began to take an interest in social and political issues. In 1915, he became the leader of the Indian National Congress and started his campaign for Indian independence. Gandhi’s leadership and advocacy for nonviolent civil disobedience became the backbone of India’s independence movement.

Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent civil disobedience, known as satyagraha, was the cornerstone of his political activism. Satyagraha means the force of truth and refers to the use of nonviolent resistance to achieve political change. Gandhi believed that peaceful means were the most effective way to bring about social and political change. His satyagraha campaigns included boycotts, strikes, and peaceful protests, which he led with unwavering courage and determination. Gandhi’s satyagraha campaigns inspired social justice movements around the world, including the civil rights movement in the United States.

Gandhi’s legacy as a political leader, activist, and philosopher is unparalleled. He is remembered as the father of the nation and a symbol of India’s struggle for independence. Gandhi’s teachings on nonviolence, truth, and social justice have inspired millions of people around the world. His philosophy of satyagraha continues to inspire social justice movements and political activism today. Gandhi’s life and works are a testament to the power of peaceful means to achieve political change.

Mahatma Gandhi’s life and works have had a profound impact on Indian history and the world. He was a leader, activist, and philosopher who dedicated his life to achieving social justice and political freedom. Gandhi’s teachings on nonviolent civil disobedience and his philosophy of satyagraha continue to inspire social justice movements and political activism today. His legacy as the father of the nation and a symbol of India’s struggle for independence will always be remembered.

About Mr. Greg

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Important Essay on Mahatma Gandhi for Students in English

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, often called the 'Father of the Nation' , was a leader who fought for India's freedom from British rule. He believed in non-violence. Every year on October 2nd, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti to honor his efforts in freeing India.

English Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Rabindranath Tagore was the first to call Gandhiji 'Mahatma,' which means 'Great Soul' in Sanskrit. His wise ideas and beliefs led people to respect and call him 'Mahatma Gandhi.' His dedication to the country and efforts to turn his ideas into reality make Indians around the world very proud of him .

According to Mahatma Gandhi’s biography, he was born on October 2, 1869 , in Porbandar, a coastal town in the present-day Indian state of Gujarat. He grew up in a Hindu family and ate basic vegetarian meals. His dad, Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi, was an important leader in Porbandar State. In South Africa, he was the first to lead a peaceful protest movement, setting him apart from other demonstrators. Mahatma Gandhi also introduced the idea of Satyagraha, a nonviolent approach to opposing unfairness. He devoted 20 years of his life to battling discrimination in South Africa.

His idea of 'Ahimsa,' which means not hurting anyone, was widely admired and followed by many influential people worldwide. He became an indomitable figure who couldn't be defeated in any situation. Mahatma Gandhi initiated the 'Khadi Movement' to encourage the use of fabrics like khadi or jute. This movement was a crucial part of the larger 'Non-co-operation Movement,' which advocated for Indian goods and discouraged foreign ones. Gandhi strongly supported agriculture and encouraged people to engage in farming. He inspired Indians to embrace manual labor and emphasized self-reliance, urging them to provide for their needs and lead simple lives. He began weaving cotton clothes using the Charkha to reduce dependence on foreign goods and promote Swadeshi products among Indians.

During the fight for India's freedom, Gandhiji faced imprisonment several times along with his followers, but his main goal was always the freedom of his motherland. Even when he was in prison, he never chose the path of violence.

Mahatma Gandhi made significant contributions to various social issues. His efforts against 'untouchability' while he was in Yerwada Jail, where he went on a hunger strike against this ancient social evil, greatly helped uplift the oppressed community in modern times. He also emphasized the importance of education, cleanliness, health, and equality in society.

These qualities defined him as a person with a great soul and justified his transformation from Gandhi to Mahatma. He led many freedom movements, including the "Quit India Movement," which was highly successful. His death was a huge loss to the forces of peace and democracy, leaving a significant void in the nation's life.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a prominent Indian nationalist leader, significantly influenced Mahatma Gandhi's political ideology and leadership approach. Gandhi considered him his political teacher.

Mahatma Gandhi played a crucial role in India's fight for freedom from British rule. His life was dedicated to serving his country and its people, and he became an international symbol of Indian leadership. Even today, he continues to inspire and motivate young people worldwide with his values and principles.

Gandhi Ji was known for his strong sense of discipline. He emphasized the importance of self-discipline in achieving significant goals, a principle he applied in promoting his philosophy of Ahimsa (non-violence). Through his own life, he demonstrated that rigorous discipline can lead to the realization of any objective, provided we remain committed and dedicated. These qualities established him as a revered and respected leader whose influence extends far beyond his lifetime. His ideals continue to resonate not only in India but also around the world.

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FAQs on Mahatma Gandhi Essay

1. What were the different movements that Gandhi started in order to bring Independence to India?

In order to bring freedom, Gandhi started the Satyagraha movement in 1919, the non-cooperation movement in 1921, and Civil Disobedience movement in 1930 and Quit India movement in 1942.

2. Who killed Mahatma Gandhi?

A young man named Nathuram Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi when he was going to attend an evening prayer meeting.

3. Why is Gandhi known as the ‘Father of the Nation’?

Mahatma Gandhi is known as the ‘Father of the Nation’ because he laid the true foundation of independent India with his noble ideals and supreme sacrifice.

4. How do we commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution for our Nation?

His birthday on 2 nd October is celebrated as a National Holiday across the nation in order to commemorate his great contributions and sacrifices for the country’s independence.

5. What are the things we should learn from Mahatma Gandhi? 

There are various things one can learn from Gandhiji. The principles that he followed and preached his entire generation and for generations to come are commendable. He believed in ‘Ahimsa’ and taught people how any war in the world can be won through non-violence. To simply state one can learn the following principles from Gandhiji - 

Nonviolence, 

Respect for elders,

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Mahatma Gandhi Essay

Below we have provided very simple written essay on Mahatma Gandhi, a person who would always live in the heart of Indian people. Every kid and children of the India know him by the name of Bapu or Father of the Nation. Using following Mahatma Gandhi essay, you can help your kids and school going children to perform better in their school during any competition or exam.

Long and Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English

We have provided below short and long essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English for your information and knowledge.

The essays have been written in simple yet effective English so that you can easily grasp the information and present it whenever needed.

After going through these Mahatma Gandhi essay you will know about the life and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi; teachings of Mahatma Gandhi; what role did he played in the freedom struggle; why is he the most respected leader the world over; how his birthday is celebrated etc.

The information given in the essays will be useful in speech giving, essay writing or speech giving competition on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 1 (100 words)

Mahatma Gandhi is very famous in India as “Bapu” or “Rastrapita”. The full name of him is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was a great freedom fighter who led India as a leader of the nationalism against British rule. He was born on 2 nd of October in 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat, India.

He died on 30 th of January in 1948. M.K. Gandhi was assassinated by the Hindu activist, Nathuram Godse, who was hanged later as a punishment by the government of India. He has been given another name by the Rabindranath Tagore as “Martyr of the Nation” since 1948.

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 2 (150 words)

Mahatma Gandhi is called as Mahatma because of his great works and greatness all through the life. He was a great freedom fighter and non-violent activist who always followed non-violence all though his life while leading India for the independence from British rule.

He was born on 2 nd of October in 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat, India. He was just 18 years old while studying law in the England. Later he went to British colony of South Africa to practice his law where he got differentiated from the light skin people because of being a dark skin person. That’s why he decided to became a political activist in order to do so some positive changes in such unfair laws.

Later he returned to India and started a powerful and non-violent movement to make India an independent country. He is the one who led the Salt March (Namak Satyagrah or Salt Satyagrah or Dandi March) in 1930. He inspired lots of Indians to work against British rule for their own independence.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 3 (200 words)

Mahatma Gandhi was a great and outstanding personality of the India who is still inspiring the people in the country as well as abroad through his legacy of greatness, idealness and noble life. Bapu was born in the Porbandar, Gujarat, India in a Hindu family on 2 nd of October in 1869. 2 nd of October was the great day for India when Bapu took birth. He paid his great and unforgettable role for the independence of India from the British rule. The full name of the Bapu is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He went to England for his law study just after passing his matriculation examination. Later he returned to India in as a lawyer in 1890.

After his arrival to India, he started helping Indian people facing various problems from the British rule. He started a Satyagraha movement against the British rule to help Indians. Other big movements started by the Bapu for the independence of India are Non-cooperation movement in the year 1920, Civil Disobedience movement in the year 1930 and Quit India movement in the year 1942. All the movements had shaken the British rule in India and inspired lots of common Indian citizens to fight for the freedom.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 4 (250 words)

Bapu, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born in 1869 on 2 nd of October at Porbander in Gujarat, India. Mahatma Gandhi was a great Indian who led India with independence movement against British rule. He completed his schooling in India and went to England for further study of law. He returned to India as a lawyer and started practicing law. He started helping people of India who were humiliated and insulted by the British rule.

He started non-violence independence movement to fight against the injustice of Britishers. He got insulted many times but he continued his non-violent struggle for the Independence of India. After his return to India he joined Indian National Congress as a member. He was the great leader of the India independence movement who struggled a lot for the freedom of India. As a member of the Indian National Congress he started independence movements like Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience and later Quit India Movement which became successful a day and help India in getting freedom.

As a great freedom fighter, he got arrested and sent to jail many times but he continued fighting against British rule for the justice of Indians. He was a great believer in non-violence and unity of people of all religions which he followed all through his struggle for independence. After his lots of struggles with many Indians, finally he became successful in making India an independent country on 15 th of August in 1947. Later he was assassinated in 1948 on 30 th of January by the Nathuram Godse, a Hindu activist.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 5 (300 words)

Mahatma Gandhi was a great freedom fighter who spent his whole life in struggle for the independence of India. He was born in the Indian Hindu family on 2 nd of October in 1869 in the Porbander, Gujarat. He lived his whole as a leader of the Indian people. His whole life story is a great inspiration for us. He is called as the Bapu or Rashtrapita as he spent his life in fighting against British rule for the freedom of us. While fighting with Britishers he took help of his great weapons like non-violence and Satyagraha movements to achieve freedom. Many times he got arrested and sent to the jail but he never discourages himself and continued fighting for national freedom.

He is the real father of our nation who really used his all power to make us free from the British rule. He truly understood the power of unity in people (from different castes, religions, community, race, age or gender) which he used all through his independence movement. Finally he forced Britishers to quit India forever through his mass movements on 15 th of August in 1947. Since 1947, the 15 th of August is celebrated every year as the Independence Day in India.

He could not continue his life after the independence of India in 1947 as he was assassinated by one of the Hindu activists, Nathuram Godse in 1948 on 30 th of January. He was the great personality who served his whole life till death for the motherland. He enlightened our life with the true light of freedom from British rule. He proved that everything is possible with the non-violence and unity of people. Even after getting died many years ago, he is still alive in the heart of every Indian as a “Father of the Nation and Bapu”.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 6 (400 words)

Mahatma Gandhi is well known as the “Father of the Nation or Bapu” because of his greatest contributions towards the independence of our country. He was the one who believed in the non-violence and unity of the people and brought spirituality in the Indian politics. He worked hard for the removal of the untouchability in the Indian society , upliftment of the backward classes in India, raised voice to develop villages for social development, inspired Indian people to use swadeshi goods and other social issues. He brought common people in front to participate in the national movement and inspired them to fight for their true freedom.

He was one of the persons who converted people’s dream of independence into truth a day through his noble ideals and supreme sacrifices. He is still remembered between us for his great works and major virtues such as non-violence, truth, love and fraternity. He was not born as great but he made himself great through his hard struggles and works. He was highly influenced by the life of the King Harischandra from the play titled as Raja Harischandra. After his schooling, he completed his law degree from England and began his career as a lawyer. He faced many difficulties in his life but continued walking as a great leader.

He started many mass movements like Non-cooperation movement in 1920, civil disobedience movement in 1930 and finally the Quit India Movement in 1942 all through the way of independence of India. After lots of struggles and works, independence of India was granted finally by the British Government. He was a very simple person who worked to remove the colour barrier and caste barrier. He also worked hard for removing the untouchability in the Indian society and named untouchables as “Harijan” means the people of God.

He was a great social reformer and Indian freedom fighter who died a day after completing his aim of life. He inspired Indian people for the manual labour and said that arrange all the resource ownself for living a simple life and becoming self-dependent. He started weaving cotton clothes through the use of Charakha in order to avoid the use of videshi goods and promote the use of Swadeshi goods among Indians.

He was a strong supporter of the agriculture and motivated people to do agriculture works. He was a spiritual man who brought spirituality to the Indian politics. He died in 1948 on 30 th of January and his body was cremated at Raj Ghat, New Delhi. 30 th of January is celebrated every year as the Martyr Day in India in order to pay homage to him.

Essay on Non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi – Essay 7 (800 Words)

Introduction

Non-violence or ‘ahimsa’ is a practice of not hurting anyone intentionally or unintentionally. It is the practice professed by great saints like Gautam Buddha and Mahaveer. Mahatma Gandhi was one of the pioneer personalities to practice non-violence. He used non-violence as a weapon to fight the armed forces of the British Empire and helped us to get independence without lifting a single weapon.

Role of Non-violence in Indian Freedom Struggle   

The role of non-violence in the Indian freedom struggle became prominent after the involvement of Mahatma Gandhi. There were many violent freedom struggles going on concurrently in the country and the importance of these cannot be neglected either. There were many sacrifices made by our freedom fighters battling against the British rule. But non-violence was a protest which was done in a very peaceful manner and was a great way to demand for the complete independence. Mahatma Gandhi used non-violence in every movement against British rule. The most important non-violence movements of Mahatma Gandhi which helped to shake the foundation of the British government are as follows.

  • Champaran and Kheda Agitations

In 1917 the farmers of Champaran were forced by the Britishers to grow indigo and again sell them at very cheap fixed prices. Mahatma Gandhi organized a non-violent protest against this practice and Britishers were forced to accept the demand of the farmers.

Kheda village was hit by floods in 1918 and created a major famine in the region. The Britishers were not ready to provide any concessions or relief in the taxes. Gandhiji organized a non-cooperation movement and led peaceful protests against the British administration for many months. Ultimately the administration was forced to provide relief in taxes and temporarily suspended the collection of revenue.

  • Non-cooperation Movement

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the harsh British policies lead to the Non-cooperation movement in 1920. It was the non-violence protest against the British rule. Gandhiji believed that the main reason of the Britishers flourishing in India is the support they are getting from Indians. He pleaded to boycott the use of British products and promoted the use of ‘Swadeshi’ products. Indians denied working for the Britishers and withdrew themselves from the British schools, civil services, government jobs etc. People started resigning from the prominent posts which highly affected the British administration. The Non-Cooperation movement shook the foundation of the British rule and all these without a single use of any weapon. The power of non-violence was more evident in the non-cooperation movement.

  • Salt Satyagrah or Salt March

Salt March or the ‘Namak Satyagrah’ was the non-violence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi against the salt monopoly of the Britishers. Britishers imposed a heavy taxation on the salt produce which affected the local salt production. Gandhiji started the 26 days non-violence march to Dandi village, Gujarat protesting against the salt monopoly of the British government. The Dandi march was started on 12 th March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram and ended on 06 th April 1930 at Dandi, breaking the salt laws of the British government and starting the local production of salt. The Salt March was a non violent movement which got the international attention and which helped to concrete the foundation of Independent India.

  • Quit India Movement

After the successful movement of the Salt March, the foundation of British government shook completely. Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 th August 1942 which demanded the Britishers to quit India. It was the time of World War II when Britain was already in war with Germany and the Quit India Movement acted as a fuel in the fire. There was a mass non-violent civil disobedience launched across the country and Indians also demanded their separation from World War II.  The effect of Quit India Movement was so intense that British government agreed to provide complete independence to India once the war gets over. The Quit India Movement was a final nail in the coffin of the British rule in India.

These movements led by Mahatma Gandhi were completely Non-violent and did not use any weapon. The power of truth and non-violence were the weapons used to fight the British rule. The effect of non-violence was so intense that it gained the immediate attention of the international community towards the Indian independence struggle. It helped to reveal the harsh policies and acts of the British rule to the international audience.

Mahatma Gandhi always believed that weapons are not the only answer for any problem; in fact they created more problems than they solved. It is a tool which spreads hatred, fear and anger. Non-violence is one of the best methods by which we can fight with much powerful enemies, without holding a single weapon. Apart from the independence struggle; there are many incidents of modern times which exhibited the importance of non-violence and how it helped in bringing changes in the society and all that without spilling a single drop of blood. Hope the day is not very far when there will be no violence and every conflict and dispute will be solved through peaceful dialogues without harming anyone and shedding blood and this would be a greatest tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

Long Essay on Mahatma Gandhi – Essay 8 (1100 Words)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi aka ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ was one of the great sons of Indian soil who rose to become a great soul and gave major contribution in the great Indian freedom struggle against the British rule in India. He was a man of ideologies and a man with great patience and courage. His non-violence movements involved peaceful protests and non-cooperation with the British rule. These movements had a long term effects on the Britishers and it also helped India to grab the eye balls of global leaders and attracted the attention on the international platforms.

Family and Life of Mahatma Gandhi

  • Birth and Childhood

Mahatma Gandhi was born as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on 02 nd October, 1869 at Porbandar (which is in the current state of Gujarat). His father Karamchand Gandhi was working as the Chief Minister (diwan) of Porbandar at that time. His mother Putlibai was a very devotional and generous lady. Young Gandhi was a reflection of his mother and inherited high values, ethics and the feeling of sacrifice from her.

  • Marriage and Education

Mohandas was married to Kasturba Makanji at a very young age of 13. In 1888, they were blessed with a baby boy and after which he sailed to London for higher studies. In 1893, he went to South Africa to continue his practice of law where he faced strong racial discrimination by the Britishers. The major incident which completely changed the young Gandhi was when he was forcibly removed from the first class compartment of a train due to his race and color.

  • Civil Rights Movement in Africa

After the discrimination and embracement faced by Gandhi due to his race and color, he vowed to fight and challenge the racial discrimination of immigrants in South Africa. He formed Natal Indian Congress in 1894 and started fighting against racial discrimination. He fought for the civil rights of the immigrants in South Africa and spent around 21 years there.

  • Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian Freedom Struggle

Gandhi returned to India in 1915 and joined Indian National Congress and started to raise voice against the British rule in India and demanded the complete independence or ‘Purn Swaraj’ for India. He started many non-violent movements and protests against Britishers and was also imprisoned various times in his long quest of freedom. His campaigns were completely non-violent without the involvement of any force or weapons. His ideology of ‘ahimsa’ meaning not to injure anyone was highly appreciated and was also followed by many great personalities around the globe.

Why was Gandhi called Mahatma?

‘Mahatma’ is a Sanskrit word which means ‘great soul’. It is said that it was Rabindranth Tagore who first used ‘Mahatma’ for Gandhi. It was because of the great thoughts and ideologies of Gandhi which made people honour him by calling ‘Mahatma Gandhi’. The great feeling of sacrifice, love and help he showed throughout his life was a matter of great respect for each citizen of India.

Mahatma Gandhi showed a lifelong compassion towards the people affected with leprosy. He used to nurse the wounds of people with leprosy and take proper care of them. In the times when people used to ignore and discriminate people with leprosy, the humanitarian compassion of Gandhi towards them made him a person with great feelings and a person with great soul justifying himself as Mahatma.

Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution on various social issues could never be ignored. His campaign against untouchability during his imprisonment in the Yerwada Jail where he went on fast against the age old evil of untouchability in the society had highly helped the upliftment of the community in the modern era. Apart from this, he also advocated the importance of education, cleanliness, health and equality in the society. All these qualities made him a man with great soul and justify his journey from Gandhi to Mahatma.

What are Gandhi’s accomplishments?

Mahatma Gandhi was a man with mission who not only fought for the country’s independence but also gave his valuable contribution in uprooting various evils of the society. The accomplishments of Mahatma Gandhi is summarized below:

  • Fought against Racial Discrimination in South Africa

The racial discrimination in South Africa shocked Mahatma Gandhi and he vowed to fight against it. He challenged the law which denied the voting rights of the people not belonging to the European region. He continued to fight for the civil rights of the immigrants in South Africa and became a prominent face of a civil right activist.

  • Face of the Indian Freedom Struggle

Mahatma Gandhi was the liberal face of independence struggle. He challenged the British rule in India through his peaceful and non-violent protests. The Champaran Satyagrah, Civil Disobedience Movement, Salt March, Quit India Movement etc are just the few non-violent movements led by him which shook the foundation of the Britishers in India and grabbed the attention of the global audience to the Indian freedom struggle.

  • Uprooting the Evils of Society

Gandhi Ji also worked on uprooting various social evils in the society which prevailed at that time. He launched many campaigns to provide equal rights to the untouchables and improve their status in the society. He also worked on the women empowerment, education and opposed child marriage which had a long term effect on the Indian society.

What was Gandhi famous for?

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the great personalities of India. He was a man with simplicity and great ideologies. His non-violent way to fight a much powerful enemy without the use of a weapon or shedding a single drop of blood surprised the whole world. His patience, courage and disciplined life made him popular and attracted people from every corners of the world.

He was the man who majorly contributed in the independence of India from the British rule. He devoted his whole life for the country and its people. He was the face of the Indian leadership on international platform. He was the man with ethics, values and discipline which inspires the young generation around the globe even in the modern era.

Gandhi Ji was also famous for his strict discipline. He always professed the importance of self discipline in life. He believed that it helps to achieve bigger goals and the graces of ahimsa could only be achieved through hard discipline.

These qualities of the great leader made him famous not only in India but also across the world and inspired global personalities like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King.

Mahatma Gandhi helped India to fulfill her dream of achieving ‘Purna Swaraj’ or complete independence and gave the country a global recognition. Though he left this world on 30 th January, 1948, but his ideologies and thoughts still prevail in the minds of his followers and act as a guiding light to lead their lives. He proved that everything is possible in the world if you have a strong will, courage and determination.

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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi Essay | Essay on Mahatma Gandhi for Students and Children in English

Mahatma Gandhi Essay: It wouldn’t be difficult for anyone to identify the great yet humble personality of Mahatma Gandhi. The man who faced one of the world’s biggest superpowers, the British Raj with daunting courage and perseverance through his principle of non-violence, was indeed a force to reckon with. – The Angel of ‘Ahimsa’

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Long and Short Essays on Mahatma Gandhi for Kids and Students in English

Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ in both long and short form. The first essay is a long essay on Mahatma Gandhi of 400-500 words. This long essay about Mahatma Gandhi is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on Mahatma Gandhi of 150-200 words. These are suitable for students and children in class 6 and below.

Long Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 500 Words in English

Below we have given a long essay on Mahatma Gandhi of 500 words is helpful for classes 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Competitive Exam Aspirants. This long essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 7 to class 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2nd October, 1869, at Porbandar, a small town on the Western coast of India, which was then one of the many tiny states in Kathiawar. He was born in a middle class family of Vaishya caste. His grandfather had risen to become the Prime Minister of Porbandar and was succeeded by his son Karamchand who was the father of Mohandas. Putlibai, Mohandas’s mother was a saintly character, gentle and devout and left a deep impression on her son’s mind. She was Karam Chand’s fourth wife, the first three having died in childbirth. Mohandas went to an elementary school in Porbandar, where he found it difficult to master the multiplication tables. He had two brothers and a sister and was youngest of all.

He was seven when his family moved to Rajkot. There he attended a primary school and later joined a high school. Though conscientious, he was a ‘mediocre student’ and was excessively shy and timid. The stories of Shravan and Raja Harishchandra had a great impact on him. While he was still in high school, he was married, at the age of 13, to Kasturba who was also of the same age. A friend of the family suggested that if the young Gandhi hoped to take his father’s place in the state service, he had better become a barrister, which he could do in England in 3 years. Gandhi jumped at the idea. The mother’s objection to his going abroad was overcome by the son’s solemn vow not to touch wine, women and meat.

Gandhi went to Bombay to take the ship for England. In Bombay, the people of his caste, who looked upon crossing the ocean as contamination, threatened to excommunicate him if he persisted in going abroad. But Gandhi was adamant and was thus, formally excommunicated by his caste. Undeterred, he sailed on 4th September, 1888, for Southampton at the age of 18.

Having passed his examination, Gandhi was called to the Bar on 10th June, 1891 and sailed for India two days later. When he reached Bombay, he learnt to his profound sorrow that his mother had died. The news had been deliberately kept back from him to spare him from the shock in a distant land.

An offer from Dada Abdulla and Co. to proceed to South Africa on their behalf to instruct their counsel in a lawsuit, was a God-sent opportunity to young Gandhi, Gandhi jumped at it and sailed for South Africa in April 1893. It was in South Africa that this shy timid youth of 24, inexperienced, unaided, alone, came into clash with forces that obliged him to tap his hidden moral resources and turn misfortunes into creative spiritual experiences. After about a week’s stay in Durban, Gandhi left for Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal, where his presence was needed in connection with a lawsuit.

A first class ticket was purchased for him by his client. When the train reached Maritzburg, the capital of Natal, at about 9 pm, a white passenger who boarded the train objected to the presence of a coloured man in the compartment and Gandhi was ordered by a railway official to shift to a third class. When he refused to do so, a constable pushed him out and his luggage was taken away by the railway authorities. It was winter and bitterly cold. This was the turning point in Gandhi’s life.

He extended his stay in South Africa to protest against the bill that denied Indians the right to vote. In 1910s, he established the Tolstoy farm for peaceful resistance. After the rights of the blacks were restored, Gandhi was hailed as a hero.

In January 1915, he finally returned to India, Mahatma, with no possessions and with only one ambition to serve his people.

At the end of his year’s wanderings, Gandhi settled down on the bank of the river Sabarmati, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, where he founded an Ashram in May 1915. He called it the ‘Satyagraha Ashram.’ The inmates, about 25 men and women, took the vows of truth, ahimsa, celibacy, non-stealing, non-possession and control of the palate and dedicated themselves to the service of the people.

It was the Rowlatt Act with its denial of civil liberties which finally brought Gandhi into active Indian politics. From 1919 to his death in 1948 he occupied the centre stage of the Indian politics and was the hero of the great historical drama which

culminated in the independence of our country. Like a magician, Gandhi roused a storm of enthusiasm in the country with his call for non-cooperation. He began the campaign by returning to the Viceroy, the medals and decorations he had received from the government for his war services and humanitarian works.

The anti-climax came suddenly in February 1922. An outbreak of mob violence in Chauri-Chaura shocked and pained Gandhi that he refused to continue the campaign and undertook a fast for five days to amne for a crime committed by others in a state of mob hysteria.

On 12th March, 1930, after having duly informed the Viceroy, Gandhi, followed by 78 members of his ashram, both men and women, began his historic 24 day march to the sea beach at Dandi to break the law which had deprived the poor man of his right to make his own salt. The rest is history how a single man shook the foundations of the British Empire and how at his single call the entire nation rose from slumbers to fight for their rights unanimously, forgetting all their differences. In 1942, he launched the Quit India Movement with the slogan ‘Do or Die’.

“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” -Gandhiji

Mahatma Gandhi Essay

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 200 Words in English

Below we have given a short essay on Mahatma Gandhi is for Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. This short essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 6 and below.

On 15th August, 1947, India was partitioned and became free. Gandhi declined to attend the celebrations in the capital and went to Calcutta where communal riots were still raging. And then, on the day of independence, a miracle happened. A year old riot stopped as if by magic and Hindus and Muslims began to fraternise with one another. Gandhi spent the day in fast and prayer.

Unfortunately the communal frenzy broke loose again on 31 st August, and while he was staying in a Muslim house, the safety of his own life was threatened. On the following day, he went on a fast which was ‘to end if and only if sanity returns to Calcutta’. The effect was magical. Those who had indulged in loot, arson and murder amidst shouts of glee, came and knelt beside him and begged for forgiveness.

On 4th September, the leaders of all communities in the city brought him a signed pledge that Calcutta would see no more of such outrages. Then, Gandhi broke the fast. Calcutta kept the pledge even when many other cities were plunged in violence in the wake of partition. On 30th January 1948, ten days after the bomb incident, Gandhi hurriedly went up the few steps of the prayer ground in the large park of the Birla House. He had been delayed due to a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and was late by a few minutes.

He loved punctuality and was worried that he had kept the congregation waiting. ‘I am late by ten minutes, he murmured. ‘I should have been here at the stroke of five’. He raised his hands and touched the palms together to greet the crowd that was waiting. Everyone returned the greeting. Many came forward wanting to touch his feet.

They were not allowed to do so, as Gandhi was already late. But a young Hindu from Poona forced his way forward and while seeming to do obeisance fired three point blank shots from a small automatic pistol aimed at the heart. Gandhi fell, his lips uttering the name of God (Hey Ram). Before medical aid could arrive the heart had ceased to beat-the heart that had beat only in love for humanity had ‘stopped’. Thus, died the Mahatma, at the hands of one of his own people, to the eternal glory of what he had lived for and to the eternal shame of those who failed to understand that he was the best representative of the religion for which he suffered martyrdom.

The nation’s feeling was best expressed by Prime Minister Nehru when with a trembling voice and a heart full of grief, he gave the news to the people on the radio.

“The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere”.

He was fondly called ‘Bapu’ and is the Father of the Nation. His birthday is a national holiday. His image appears on Indian currency notes. His death day is observed as Martyr’s day. For some, he was a saint or ‘fakir’, some called him a ‘leader’ and some a politician. But, he was in reality an extraordinary soul in an ordinary mortal’s body. That’s why he was called ‘Mahatma’.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay Word Meanings for Simple Understanding

  • Bespectacled – wearing eyeglasses
  • Agile – quick and well-coordinated in movement
  • Daunting – to lessen the courage of, dishearten
  • Conscientious – careful and painstaking, meticulous
  • Docile – obedient
  • Excommunicate – to exclude or expel from membership or participation in any group, association, etc
  • Undeterred – persevering with something despite setbacks
  • Profound – intense
  • Intrigue – a plot of crafty dealing
  • Lawsuit – a case in a court of law involving a claim, complaint, etc., by one party against another, suit at law
  • Intelligentsia – intellectuals considered as a group or class, especially as a cultural, social, or political elite
  • Palate – the sense of taste
  • Atone – to make amends for an offense or crime
  • Fraternise – to associate in a fraternal or friendly way
  • Arson – the act of intentionally or recklessly setting fire to another’s property or to one’s own property for some improper reason
  • Congregation – a gathered or assembled body
  • Obeisance – deference or homage
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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi for Students in English [500+ Words]

December 10, 2020 by Sandeep

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi:  The entire life of Mahatma Gandhi belonged to truthiness, vegetarianism, simplicity, non-violence, and faith in god. During his life, he had been an inspiration to many national and international leaders. He trusted in truth and never took the assistance of fakeness or lie to accomplish their tasks. In India, a public holiday is declared on 2nd October ( Gandhi Jayanti ) to honour him. Also, to mark his sacrifice for his nation, his image has engraved on the Indian currency notes. Below we have provided Mahatma Gandhi Essay in English, written in easy and simple words for class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 school students.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English

Mahatma Gandhi was a man of power, honesty, sacrifices, and simplicity. He was a patriotic personality. His life was unbelievable. He never liked others’ appreciation. His efforts to protect India are unparalleled. Only with his efforts, the British left India in 1947. Mohandas Gandhi is another name of Mahatma Gandhi. Even he is also famous as ‘Father of Nation.’ He was born on 2nd October in the year 1869 in the state of Porbandar, Gujarat. He was the youngest among the three sons of Karamchand Gandhi.

Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai Gandhi were his parents. His mother was the fourth wife of his father, Karamchand Gandhi. His father became the prime minister of states like Rajkot, Vankaner, and Porbandar. His parents have three sons. When Mahatma Gandhi became 13 in age, he got married to Kasturba Makhanji. After his marriage, he completed his education. Then, he went to London to pursue a degree in law. After this, he practiced as a lawyer. He also started to read the scriptures of Bhagavad Gita that had an immense influence on his life.

During his childhood, he was massively influenced by the tales of Harischandra and Shravana that taught him about the significance of affection and truth. Moreover, his parents raise him as a vegetarian; however, during his stay in London, he started eating meat. Once Gandhiji came back to India after finishing his study in law, he started finding a job as a lawyer. He had to do a lot of struggle to find the right job. Lastly, he got an invitation from South Africa by a wealthy merchant to work as a lawyer. That proposal was a turning point in his life.

During his job in South Africa, he witnessed racial discrimination. Once he faced several humiliations, he decided to raise his voice. Then, he became an activist to find cases in favor of Indians. At that time, he also established the Natal Indian Congress in 1894. Besides, he was also influenced by Satyagraha, which means the devotion of truth. Even, he started non-violent protests in 1906. Also, he stood for civil rights in favor of South Africa. Movements started by Mahatma Gandhi in favour of India are

Mahatma Gandhi Essay

Khilafat Movement: This movement was run from 1919-1924. It was a revolt by the nationalists and the Indian Muslims. This movement was started to pressure the British Government to preserve the authority of the Ottoman Sultan as the Islamic Caliph. The leadership of this movement comprised Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, who had been newspaper editors in Delhi in those days. Maulana Mahmud ul-Hasan, Abdul Kalam Azad, Maulana Abdul Bari were also some of the leaders of this movement. During this movement, Mahatma Gandhi even got the support of the Muslims to fight against the British to make Indian independence. This movement was crucial as it reflected Hindu-Muslim cooperation. Finally, in the year 1921, this movement was suppressed by the British Government.

Non-cooperation Movement: To provide the Indian a self-government, Mahatma Gandhi took a step where he organized a non-cooperation movement from 1920-1922. This non-violent movement was also known as Swaraj. The commencement of this non-cooperation movement was the outcry over the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre in the year 1919. In Jallianwalla Bagh (in Amritsar, Punjab), the British government had killed hundreds of Indians who were gathered for peaceful assembly in a lawn. The complete garden becomes a ground of cruel massacre. General Dyer, who was responsible for that act, was not taken to task. Being a part of this movement, Indians boycott the Indian government and also refuses to pay taxes.

Salt Satyagraha: When the British government in India started levying excess taxes or excise duty on salt, then the Mahatma Gandhi began to historic Salt Satyagraha to break this law. For this, Gandhi Ji marched to the coastal village of Dandi to break the salt law. During his march, he used to visit different communities to teach about the need for social reforms. This march was last long for 24 days. After viewing this, the British government arrested the people from Indian National Congress who were involved in this march. When the government got pressurized for the arrests as of several outbreaks of civil disobedience, then they released the arrested leaders.

Quit India Movement: Bharat Chodo Andolan is another name of the Quit India Movement that was launched on 8th August 1942 by the All India Congress Committee. As the name suggests, this movement was started to end up the British rule from India. Mahatma Gandhi started this movement at Gowalia Tank Maidan, where he taught the Indians to “Do or Die.” Even those leaders who got arrested during this movement which took a step back. The protest was a mix of violent and non-violent demonstrations. The fact is, the British did not want to leave India in pressure or with this movement. Before leaving, they wanted the war only. Finally, in 1945, the British revealed that they would send a planned withdrawal from the country.

Mahatma Gandhi was not in favor of dividing India. But he was agreed to keep harmony. Moreover, Gandhiji initiated his fast to make sure of the harmony between the two countries. Besides, Pakistan was granted with payment according to the Partition Council agreement. On 30th January 1948, with the bullets of Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi succumbed. Nathuram Godse was from the group of Hindu radicals who trusted that India became weakened as of the partition payment made to Pakistan.

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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi [100, 150, 200, 300, 500 Words]

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Table of Contents

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 100 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the greatest leaders of our country. He was born in Porbandar, India, on October 2, 1869. His father Karamchand Gandhi was the Dewan and his mother Putlibai was a pious lady. Gandhiji went to England to become a barrister. In 1893 he went to South Africa and worked for the rights of our people.

He returned to India in 1915 and joined the freedom struggle. He started many political movements like Non-cooperation movement, Salt Satyagraha, Quit India Movement to fight against the British. Gandhiji worked for the ending of the caste system and the establishment of Hindu-Muslim unity. He was killed by Nathuram Godse On January 30, 1948.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English

Mahatma Gandhi Essay in English 150 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader. His full name was Mohandas and Gandhi. He was born on October 2, 1869 at Porbandar. His father was a Diwan. He was an average student. He went to England and returned as a barrister.

In South Africa, Gandhiji saw the bad condition of the Indians. There he raised his voice against it and organised a movement.

In India, he started the non-cooperation and Satyagraha movements to fight against the British Government. He went to jail many times. He wanted Hindu-Muslim unity. In 1947, he got freedom for us.

Gandhiji was a great social reformer. He worked for Dalits and lower-class people. He lived a very simple life. He wanted peace. He believed in Ahimsa.

On January 30, 1948, he was shot dead. We call him ‘Bapu’ out of love and respect. He is the Father of the Nation.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay in English

Also Read: 10 Lines on Mahatma Gandhi

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 200-250 Words

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, freedom activist, and politician. Gandhiji was born on October 2, 1869 at Porbandar, Gujarat. His father Karamchand Gandhi was the Chief Minister (diwan) of Porbandar state. His mother Putlibai was a religious woman.

He went to England to study law at the age of 18 years. After his return to India, he started a practice as a lawyer in the Bombay High Court. He went to South Africa and started practicing law. There he protested against the injustice and harsh treatment of the white people towards the native Africans and Indians.

He returned to India in 1915 and started to take interest in politics. Mahatma Gandhi used the ideals of truth and non-violence as weapons to fight against British colonial rule. He worked for the upliftment of Harijans. He fought against untouchability and worked for Hindu-Muslim unity.

Through his freedom movements like Non-cooperation movement, Khilafat movement, and civil disobedience movement he fought for freedom against the British imperialists. 1942, he launched the Quit India movement to end the British rule. At last, India got freedom in 1947 at his initiative.

People affectionately call him ‘Bapu’ and the ‘Father of the Nation’. He was shot dead in 1948 by the Hindu fanatic Nathuram Godse.  Gandhiji’s life is a true inspiration for all of us.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi Essay in English 300 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was born at Porbandar in Gujarat on 2nd October, 1869. His father was the Diwan of the State. His name was Karam Chand Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi’s full name was Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi. His mother’s name was Putali Bai. Mahatma Gandhi went to school first at Porbandar then at Rajkot. Even as a child, Mahatma never told a lie. He passed his Matric examination at the age of 18.

Mohan Das was married to Kasturba at the age of thirteen. Mahatma Gandhi was sent to England to study law and became a Barrister. He lived a very simple life even in England. After getting his law degree, he returned to India.

Mr. Gandhi started his law practice. He went to South Africa in the course of a law suit. He saw the condition of the Indians living there. They were treated very badly by the white men. They were not allowed to travel in 1st class on the trains, also not allowed to enter certain localities, clubs, and so on. Once when Gandhiji was travelling in the 1st class compartment of the train, he was beaten and thrown out of the train. Then Mahatma decided to unite all Indians and started the Non-violence and Satyagrah Movement. In no time, the Movement picked up.

Mahatma Gandhi returned to India and joined Indian National Congress. He started the Non-violence, Non-cooperation Movements here also. He travelled all over India, especially the rural India to see the conditions of the poor.

Mahatma Gandhi started Satyagrah Movement to oppose the Rowlatt Act and there was the shoot-out at Jalian-Wala-Bagh. The Act was drawn after many people were killed. He then started the Salt Satyagraha and Quit India Movements. And finally, Gandhiji won freedom for us. India became free on 15th August, 1947. He is called as “Father of the Nation”. Unfortunately, Gandhiji was shot on 30 January 1948 by a Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse.

Also Read: Gandhi Jayanti Speech 10 Lines

Mahatma Gandhi Essay in English 500 Words

Introduction:.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi was a politician, social activist, writer, and leader of the Indian national movement. He is a figure known all over the world. His name is a household word in India, rather, in all the world round. His creed of non-violence has placed him on the same par with Buddha, Sri Chaitanya, and Jesus Christ.

Family & Education:

Mahatma Gandhi was born in the small town of Porbandar in the Kathiwad state on October 2, 1869. His father Karamchand Gandhi was the prime minister of Rajkot State and his mother Putlibai was a pious lady. Her influence shaped the future life of Mahatma Gandhi.

He was sent to school at a very early age, but he was not a very bright student. After his Matriculation Examination, he went to England to study law and returned home as a barrister. He began to practice law in Bombay but he was not very successful.

Life in South Africa:

In 1893 Gandhiji went to South Africa in connection with a case. He found his own countrymen treated with contempt by the whites. Gandhiji started satyagraha against this color hated. It was a non-violent protest, yet hundreds were beaten up and thousands were sent to jail. But Gandhiji did not buzz an inch from his faith in truth and non-violence and at last, he succeeded in his mission. He was awarded the title of Mahatma.

Fight for India’s Independence:

In 1915 Gandhiji came back to India after twenty long years in South Africa. He joined the Indian National congress and championed the cause of India’s freedom movement. He asked people to unite for the cause of freedom. He used the weapons of truth and non-violence to fight against the mighty British.

The horrible massacre at Jalianwalabag in Punjab touched him and he resolved to face the brute force of the British Government with moral force. In 1920 he launched the Non-cooperation movement to oppose British rule in India.

He led the famous Dandi March on 12th March 1930. This march was meant to break the salt law. And as a result of this, the British rule in India had already started shaking and he had to go to London for a Round Table Conference in 1931. But this Conference proved abortive and the country was about to give a death blow to the foreign rule.

In 1942 Gandhiji launched his final bout for freedom. He started the ‘Quit India’ movement. At last, the British Government had to quit India in 1947, and India was declared a free country on August 15, 1947.

Social Works:

Mahatma Gandhi was a social activist who fought against the evils of society. He found the Satyagraha Ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati river in Gujarat. He preached against untouchability and worked for Hindu-Muslim unity. He fought tirelessly for the rights of Harijans.

Conclusion:

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation was a generous, god-loving, and peace-loving person. But unfortunately, he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse on 30th January 1948 at the age of 78. To commemorate Gandhiji’s birth anniversary Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated every year on October 2. Gandhiji’s teachings and ideologies will continue to enlighten and encourage us in the future.

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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi In English for Students and Children

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Key Points To Remember When Writing An Essay On Mahatma Gandhi

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Mahatma Gandhi is a popular historical figure. He is known as the father of our nation and is well-regarded by all the citizens of the country and people worldwide. Most Indian children are familiar with Gandhiji and learn about his contribution to the Indian freedom struggle in school. Students may be asked to write an essay on Gandhiji as a class exercise or for a test or competition. For this assignment, they will need to learn and remember facts about his life and how he fought for India’s independence. This may sound challenging for some children, but with guidance, they will be able to write this essay on their own. Here is an essay on Mahatma Gandhi for classes 1, 2 and 3 that will help school children with their assignments.

Writing an essay includes preparation and strategies. To begin with an essay, we need to understand the topic of the essay. When we are aware of the topic of the essay, we can write the essay easily. Whether you are planning to write a small essay, a long essay, or just a few lines about Mahatma Gandhi, gathering information firsthand will help you a lot. You begin your essay by giving an introduction of Mahatma Gandhi, his place of birth, his life and about his personal life. Next, you can talk about his professional life, his studies and achievements, and what contributions he made to the nation’s independence. Finally, you can conclude the essay with how his life teachings inspire today’s generations and how you can still use those teachings in today’s life and influence others.

The essay about Mahatma Gandhi is slightly different from essays on general topics. For these kinds of topics, children need to remember accurate facts and weave a good narrative. If you are looking for good facts and figures in the form of some lines on Mahatma Gandhi, then the following is for you. Here are some important points to remember:

Before starting the essay, it is important to remember facts such as names, places, events and dates accurately.

For short essays, stick to facts about Gandhi and do not dive deep into any specific topics.

For longer essays, start the introduction about the importance of the man in Indian history.

Talk about his early life and work and transition to the ideology of Gandhiji.

Finally, end the essay with his impact on the nation and how he inspired people.

Children of lower primary classes may be asked to write a short essay on Mahatma Gandhi. They can start by jotting down the facts they remember about him and writing them in simple sentences. Students will have to memorise a few dates and facts to be able to write this essay. Below are the top ten factual lines about Mahatma Gandhi that will help you write a perfect essay on Gandhiji, the national personality:

Mahatma Gandhi is well-known as a freedom fighter and the father of our nation. He is popularly called Bapu.

He was born in Porbandar, Gujarat on October 2, 1869.

His father’s name was Karamchand Gandhi, and his mother’s name was Putlibai Gandhi.

Gandhiji was married to Kasturba Kapadia.

He went to London to pursue his higher education.

He worked in South Africa as a civil rights activist and fought against racial discrimination.

In 1915 he started the Indian National Congress party.

Gandhiji was a firm believer in ahimsa , which means non-violence, and followed the path of satya vachan, which means being truthful.

As a leader of the freedom struggle, he began his first anti-British movement in 1917.

He was shot to death on January 30, 1948.

Before we begin with an essay in 100 or 200 words, we should first practice with paragraph writing. This is why we bring you a short paragraph on Mahatma Gandhi. Let’s look at the paragraph on this national personality.

Mahatma Gandhi, born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India, is one of India’s most iconic historical figures. He has several monikers, such as ‘the Father of the Nation’, ‘Bapu’ , ‘Mahatma’, ‘Rashtrapita’ , and many more. Gandhiji is popular for his non-violence (Ahimsa) and civil disobedience philosophy. He is also known for his simplicity, truthfulness, and dedication to social justice. Lakhs of people joined Mahatma Gandhi in his journey to free India from the colonial rule. He and his supporters organised movements like the Dandi March (Salt March) and the Quit India Movement, which eventually led to India’s independence in 1947. He was assassinated on January 30, 1948, but his principles and message endure as a beacon of hope and unity.

When asked to write a short essay on Mahatma Gandhi, students can list the highlights they remember about Gandhiji’s life and weave them into a paragraph. Here is a sample essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 200 words:

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is the most popular historical figure in the nation. He was born in Porbandar, Gujarat, on October 2, 1869. His family was affluent, and he had a good reputation as a quiet-natured boy. He went to London for his higher education, where he studied law and became a Barrister. He practised law at the Bombay High Court upon his return to India.

Gandhiji later moved to South Africa to work but soon lost interest in law. Instead, he joined hands with the natives there to start satyagraha – a non-violent protest against the oppression of the Europeans. He soon returned to India and joined the struggle for independence from British rule.

He was a simple man who taught simplicity and self-reliance to the people in India. He encouraged them to boycott foreign goods and make their own swadeshi goods. He was loved and respected by people of all communities.

As a freedom fighter, Gandhi was a man of firm conviction. During his freedom struggle, the British had put him in jail several times, where he endured extreme hardships. To honour his role in the freedom struggle, his birthday is observed as a national holiday to pay homage to him and all others who stood with him.

A long essay on Gandhi requires students to know and remember several details on his life and write them with a good narrative. Writing a Mahatma Gandhi essay in English in 500 words and more is not a difficult task. Here is a sample essay for class 3 students on Mahatma Gandhi:

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also called Mahatma Gandhi, is the father of our nation. He was a freedom fighter, national leader, and social reformer who worked tirelessly to make India independent. Famous poet Rabindranath Tagore gave him the title of Mahatma. In Sanskrit, ‘Mahatma’ means ‘Great Soul’. He was given this name for his non-violent approach to the freedom movement, contributions to social reform, and convictions to lead a simple life. Since his time, Gandhiji and his philosophy have inspired all social reform movements.

Birth And Childhood

Mahatma Gandhi, aka Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born on 2 October 1869 in the small town of Porbandar, Gujarat. His father, Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi, was the Diwan of Porbandar and Rajkot and also a court official in Porbandar. Born to a religious woman, Putlibai Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi became one of the top representatives in India’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule, known for his philosophy of non-violence (Ahimsa) and civil disobedience.

Marriage And Education

Gandhiji was raised with simplicity, although he was from an affluent family. He was a firm believer in non-violence, which was reflected in his approach to anything he did. Gandhiji went to England in 1888 to study law and become a barrister. After Gandhiji moved to Africa as a lawyer, he soon quit his profession to join the local people in their struggle against European oppression. He spent 20 years fighting discrimination in South Africa before returning to India.

Contribution To India’s Independence

The people who followed him loved his ideology of ‘ Ahimsa ‘ or non-violence. He realised early on that there was a great force in the philosophy of non-violence at a mass level for the freedom movement. He believed in self-reliance and made his own clothes, which started the ‘ Khadi movement’. He urged Indians to boycott foreign products and make their own instead to increase self-reliance. The British put him in jail many times because of his strong stand.

His efforts, combined with the sacrifices of all freedom fighters, were successful, and India gained independence. Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent approach have been appreciated throughout history, and he became a global role model. His legacy extends beyond India’s borders, inspiring movements for civil rights, freedom, and social change worldwide. Bapu’s teachings and practices continue to be a model of inspiration for those advocating peace, justice, and human rights. He will continue to inspire people everywhere to build a better and more just world for generations to come.

Mahatma Gandhi led several successful campaigns and movements in his time to achieve independence from the colonial government, Let’s talk about some of the major movements of Gandhiji in detail:

1. Champaran and Kheda Satyagraha (1917 – 1918)

Gandhi’s early Satyagrahas (non-violent resistance) in Champaran and Kheda addressed issues faced by indigo and cotton farmers, respectively. Due to meagre agriculture production and crop failure due to unfavourable weather along with high taxation, the situation of farmers deteriorated drastically. Along with farmers and several supporters, Mahatma Gandhi started protests and strikes that eventually led to the British noting the farmers’ demands and doing what was needful for them.

2. Khilafat Movement (1919)

Mahatma Gandhi supported the Khilafat Movement, started by Ali brothers in Turkey against the unfair treatment of Turkey after the First World War, which aimed to protect the Ottoman Empire’s caliphate. He presided over the All India Conference in Delhi and even returned the awards he achieved in the British Empire’s South Africa. He came to the limelight of many Indians for his doings against the British empire, which eventually strengthened his position as a national leader.

3. Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)

The Civil Disobedience Movement aimed to fight unjust laws peacefully with the assistance from the Congress. Under the leadership of Gandhiji, several Indians refused to obey certain British laws and pay taxes. People began boycotting British goods and services, which resulted in mass arrests and heightened global awareness. However, after the Chauri Chaura incident with the killing of 23 police officers, Gandhiji put a stop to the movement.

4. Civil-Disobedience Movement (1930)

The Non-Cooperation Movement aimed at the boycotting of British institutions, schools, and goods by Indians. Several students dropped out of college, and many government employees quit their British jobs. People also boycotted imported clothing, refused to pay taxes, held protests, etc. Millions of people supported and participated in this movement, and it marked a turning point in India’s fight for independence.

5. Quit India Movement (1942)

The Quit India Movement in 1942 finally demanded to put an immediate end to British rule in India. Gandhiji started this movement on August 8, 1942, during World War II, calling it “Quit India”. Because of this movement, several representatives of the Indian National Congress were arrested by the British government, eventually leading to widespread protests and strikes. In the end, the British government decided to surrender control to India and exit from India.

Writing about Mahatma Gandhi in a school essay is an important assignment for children. Being one of India’s most regarded historical personalities, it is beneficial for them to learn about his life and role in India’s freedom struggle for academics and as a proud citizen of the country. This topic is more factual, so students will have to write based on their knowledge rather than their feelings or imagination. In this essay, children will learn how to memorise facts and write a composition on them for exams and assignments. They will learn how to weave a good story about a person in history and explain the relevance to the present.

Here are some facts about Mahatma Gandhi that will surely help your kids:

Although Mahatma Gandhiji’s real name is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, people across the nation address him as ‘Bapu’ in Gujarati, as it is entitled as the ‘Father of the Nation.’

Before fighting for India’s independence, Mahatma Gandhi worked as a barrister.

Albert Einstein admired Gandhiji very much. After Bapu’s death, the scientist quotes, ‘Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.’

Gandhiji followed a simplistic life and wore hand-spun khadi cloth.

Mahatma Gandhi had four children – Manilal, Harilal, Devdas, and Ramdas.

There are several roads and streets named in honour of Gandhiji.

In 1930, Bapu was accredited with the Time Magazine Man of the Year.

To date, Indian currency notes bear the photo monogram of Mahatma Gandhi.

Inspired by Gandhiji’s non-violence philosophy, Martin Luther fought for civil rights peacefully in the United States.

On January 30, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was tragically assassinated by a man named Nathuram Godse.

1. How did Gandhi’s Philosophy Influence Other Leaders?

Gandhiji’s philosophy of non-violence (Ahimsa) and peaceful protests have a profound influence on leaders across the world. Martin Luther King Jr. Adopted Gandhiji’s principles to fight against racial segregation and discrimination peacefully in the United States. Similarly, Nelson Mandela from South Africa took inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s principles to seek justice against apartheid and racial oppression. Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi took Gandhi’s non-violence philosophy as a role model for her campaign for democratic reforms and human rights. Other world leaders who took inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi include Desmond Tutu (South Africa), Lech Wałęsa (Poland), Cesar Chavez (USA), and more.

2. How can Gandhi’s Ideals be Applied in Today’s World?

Children can adopt the philosophies of non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), self-discipline (tapasya), and service to others (seva) from Gandhiji. Children can learn to always speak the truth, be kind to people, and always lend a helping hand to people in need.

3. What are Some Famous Books Written by Mahatma Gandhi?

‘ My Experiments With Truth’ is a renowned autobiography penned by Mahatma Gandhi. Other popular books written by him include ‘The Young India’, ‘Hind Swaraj’, and India of My Dreams.’

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Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi made the Indian National Movement a mass development. He gave leadership to the majority who followed him irrespective of their caste, class or religious contrasts.

But on 30 January 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Vinayak Godse while walking to his prayer meeting on the lawn of the Birla House compound in Delhi.

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Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 100 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was born at Porbandar in the Kathiawar district of Gujarat in 1869. He went to England to study Law in 1888. Mahatma Gandhi practized law in South Africa, from 1893 to 1914. He shaped the Natal Indian Congress to fight against the racist policies of the South African government. Mahatma Gandhi got back to India in January 1915 and made a broad visit through the country in the following three years. In 1917 and 1918, he was engaged in three critical struggles in Champaran (Bihar), Ahmedabad and Kheda in Gujarat. Mahatma Gandhi made the Indian National Movement a mass development.

On 30 January 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Vinayak Godse while walking to his prayer meeting on the lawn of the Birla House compound in Delhi.

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 150 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was born at Porbandar in the Kathiawar district of Gujarat in 1869. He went to England to study Law in 1888. Mahatma Gandhi practized law in South Africa, from 1893 to 1914. He shaped the Natal Indian Congress to fight against the racist policies of the South African government.

Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi was based on truth and non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi got back to India in January 1915 and made a broad visit through the country in the following three years. In 1917 and 1918, he was engaged in three critical struggles in Champaran (Bihar), Ahmedabad and Kheda in Gujarat. Mahatma Gandhi made the Indian National Movement a mass development. He gave leadership to the majority who followed him irrespective of their caste, class or religious contrasts.

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 200 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was born at Porbandar in the Kathiawar district of Gujarat in 1869. He went to England to study Law in 1888. Mahatma Gandhi practized law in South Africa, from 1893 to 1914. In South Africa, he saw racial discrimination and soon turned into the leader of a struggle against racist authorities in the country. He shaped the Natal Indian Congress to fight against the racist policies of the South African government. It was here that the unique strategy of Satyagraha developed.

Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi was based on truth and peacefulness. Mahatma Gandhi got back to India in January 1915 and made a broad visit through the country in the following three years. In 1917 and 1918, he was engaged in three critical struggles in Champaran (Bihar), Ahmedabad and Kheda in Gujarat.

Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of non-violence was set down on the rule that no injury ought to be caused either by words or by activity. Gandhi believed that peacefulness is a positive and dynamic power. He focused on the use of the charkha and khadi. On 30 January 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Vinayak Godse while walking to his prayer meeting on the lawn of the Birla House compound in Delhi.

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 250 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was born at Porbandar in the Kathiawar district of Gujarat in 1869. He went to England to study Law in 1888. Mahatma Gandhi practized law in South Africa, from 1893 to 1914. In South Africa, he saw racial discrimination and soon turned into the leader of a struggle against racist authorities in the country. He shaped the Natal Indian Congress to fight against the racist policies of the South African government. It was here that the unique strategy of Satyagraha developed.

Congress launched the Non-Cooperation Movement but Mahatma Gandhi suspended the movement because of the incident which happened at Chauri Chaura in Uttar Pradesh.

In 1931, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement. Simon Commission was the main factor which led to the starting of the Civil Disobedience Movement. The Civil Disobedience Movement began with Mahatma Gandhi with the Dandi March.

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 300 Words

In 1931, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement. Simon Commission was the main factor which led to the starting of the Civil Disobedience Movement. 

The Civil Disobedience Movement began with Mahatma Gandhi with the Dandi March. He started the march from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, a small village situated on the sea coast of Gujarat. The violation of the Salt Law at Dandi denoted the start of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of non-violence was set down on the rule that no injury ought to be caused either by words or by activity. On 30 January 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Vinayak Godse while walking to his prayer meeting on the lawn of the Birla House compound in Delhi.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Where was gandhiji born.

Mahatma Gandhi  was born at Porbandar in the Kathiawar district of Gujarat in 1869.

Where did Mahatma Gandhi practice law?

Mahatma Gandhi practized law in South Africa, from 1893 to 1914.

What is the concept of Satyagraha?

Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi was based on truth and peacefulness. Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of non-violence was set down on the rule that no injury ought to be caused either by words or by activity. Gandhi believed that peacefulness is a positive and dynamic power.

When did Gandhi die and how?

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mahatma gandhi essay short form

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 500 Words (English)- Short Essay

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English- Students from Class 1 to 12 search for a short essay on Mahatma Gandhi to complete their assignment or homework. Most of the times the common question in the term examinations is to write a Mahatma Gandhi essay in English in 500 words . Here, we have provided a 500 words essay on Mahatma Gandhi so that students can make a good compiling short essay about Mahatma Gandhi to get good marks in final exams. Students can get the idea on how to phrase the words to make a good essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 500 words. Below is the essay about Mahatma Gandhi.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 250 words

Mahatma Gandhi, born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, India, was a preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule. Known for his philosophy of nonviolent resistance, Gandhi became a symbol of peace, truth, and justice.

Gandhi’s early life was marked by his experiences in South Africa, where he developed his principles of Satyagraha (truth force) and Ahimsa (nonviolence) while fighting against racial discrimination. Upon returning to India in 1915, Gandhi emerged as a prominent leader in the struggle for independence.

Gandhi’s approach to activism was rooted in nonviolent protest and civil disobedience. He led numerous campaigns and movements, including the Salt March in 1930, where he and his followers marched to the Arabian Sea to protest the British salt monopoly. Through his leadership and principles, Gandhi inspired millions of Indians to join the freedom struggle.

Despite facing imprisonment and persecution, Gandhi remained steadfast in his commitment to nonviolence and truth. He advocated for the rights of the oppressed, including the untouchables or Dalits, and promoted communal harmony and religious tolerance.

Gandhi’s efforts culminated in India’s independence from British rule on August 15, 1947. However, his vision of a united, secular, and peaceful India was marred by the partition of the country into India and Pakistan, leading to widespread violence and displacement.

Even after independence, Gandhi continued to advocate for social justice and equality. However, his life was tragically cut short when he was assassinated by a Hindu extremist on January 30, 1948.

Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy remains a source of inspiration for people around the world. His principles of nonviolence, truth, and compassion continue to guide movements for peace, justice, and human rights globally. Gandhi’s life and teachings remind us of the power of love, tolerance, and the pursuit of truth in the face of adversity.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 500 Words (English)

Mahatma Gandhi, popularly known as Father of Nation, plays a vital role in the Independence struggle of India. His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. With his dedication and determination, he successfully led many freedom movements in India. He is majorly known for his “Dandi March”, also called as Salt Satyagraha, held from March 12, 1930 to April 6, 1930. It was a 24-days march starting from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi.  In the era of violence, he supported the non-violence freedom movements. He was a great patriotic leader with an unbelievably attractive personality. His contributions in India’s independence is unforgettable.

Background of Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in a Gujarati family. His birthplace is Porbandar (also known as Sudamapuri). He is the fourth and youngest son of Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai. He has 2 elder brothers and 1 sister. At the age of 13 years, Mohandas Gandhi was married to a 14-year-old girl, Kasturbai Makhanji Kapadia. Mohandas and Kasturba  had four sons: Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, and Devdas.

Mahatma Gandhi Education

Mahatma Gandhi studied law from London and returned to India in June 1891. After his inability  to cross-examine witnesses, he moved to South Africa to be a lawyer. During his 21 years of stay in South Africa, he developed political views.

Achievements of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi received innumerable awards and recognition. However, people know only a few. Some of the main achievements are mentioned here.

  • Because of his continuous struggle, he successfully contributed in eliminating the British rule from India in 1947. 
  • Gandhi received the Queen’s South Africa Medal along with thirty-seven other Indians. 
  • Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi were appreciated and followed by many popular leaders including Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela.
  • Honoring Mahatma Gandhi, UN celebrates October 2 as “the International Day of Nonviolence.” Also, many countries observe January 30 as the School Day of Nonviolence and Peace.

Mahatma Gandhi Death

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948 by Nathuram Godse. 

Conclusion – Mahatma Gandhi is remembered as the Father of Nation because of his unforgettable contribution in the freedom of India. He has devoted his entire life to the nation.

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi, also known as the Father of the Nation in India, was a prominent leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule. Born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, Gandhi led India to independence through his philosophy of nonviolent resistance, Satyagraha.

Gandhi’s life was characterized by simplicity, humility, and a steadfast commitment to truth and nonviolence. He advocated for social justice, equality, and the rights of marginalized communities, including the untouchables or Dalits.

Through his principles of ahimsa (nonviolence) and civil disobedience, Gandhi inspired millions of people to join the freedom struggle. His leadership and teachings galvanized the nation and eventually led to India’s independence from British colonial rule on August 15, 1947.

Gandhi’s legacy extends far beyond India’s independence. His philosophy of nonviolence and Satyagraha influenced many other civil rights movements around the world, including the American civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr.

Despite facing numerous challenges and enduring hardships, Gandhi remained committed to his principles and never wavered in his pursuit of truth and justice. His life and teachings continue to inspire generations of people to strive for peace, equality, and social harmony.

Mahatma Gandhi’s contributions to the world will always be remembered, cherished, and celebrated as a beacon of hope and inspiration for humanity. His message of love, compassion, and nonviolence remains as relevant today as it was during his lifetime.

10 Lines on Mahatma Gandhi

  • Mahatma Gandhi is known as “Father of Nation”, commonly called as Bapu.
  • He was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat.
  • His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
  • Mohandas was married to Kasturbai Makhanji Kapadia, commonly known as Kasturba Gandhi.
  • His birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti in India and International Day of Nonviolence worldwide.
  • Mahatma was a law graduate and worked as Civil rights activist in South Africa (1893–1914)
  • He wrote several books including his autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Satyagraha in South Africa.
  • Mahatma Gandhi was an integral part of India’s independence. He followed the path of non-violence to eliminate the rule of Britishers in India.
  • He initiated several movements that lead to including Champaran agitation in Bihar (1917), Kheda Satyagraha (1918), Khilafat movement (1919), Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March (1930).
  • In 1930, Time magazine named Gandhi the Man of the Year.
  • Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi- Tips to Write Essay

  • Students should write an essay in points so that teacher can easily read the essay to give good marks. 
  • It is suggested to not repeat the information. 
  • Carefully read the complete essay about Mahatama Gandhi after completing. This will help in eliminating some unintentional errors.

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500+ Words Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English

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Mahatma Gandhi was one of the most important freedom fighters who played a major role in India’s freedom struggle. His ideologies of ahimsa and satyagraha brought the Mighty British Empire on its keens, ultimately making India an independent country. His efforts to make India an independent and self-reliant country earned him the title of ‘The Father of Nation’. Every year, we celebrate his birthday on 2nd October as Gandhi Jayanti, where we recall his ideas of ahimsa, women empowerment, satyagraha, etc.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi is a popular academic topic, assigned to students. To score better marks in an essay on Mahatma Gandhi, you must cover all dimensions of his life; his early life, profession, ideals, national movements, etc. On this page, we will provide you with an essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 500 words.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 500 Words

‘Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. His real name was ‘Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. At 18, Gandhi sailed from Bombay to London, where he attended the University College, London. Gandhi also had the intention of becoming a Barrister, so he enrolled at the Inns of Court School of Law in Inner Temple. In London, Gandhi joined a public speaking group to enhance his communication and English speaking skills.

Civil Rights in South Africa

At the age of 22, Gandhi completed his law degree and left for India. The next year, a Muslim merchant in Katiawar contacted Gandhi, to solve a legal problem in their sipping business in Johannesburg, South Africa. Gandhi spent 23 years of his life in South Africa, where he initially protected the interest of the Muslim merchant and then against skin color discrimination.

Gandhi was not allowed to sit with the European passengers, and if he resisted, he was beaten, kicked into a gutter, and thrown off a running train. Gandhi found this very humiliating and could not understand how people felt honoured by such inhuman practices. In South Africa, Gandhi fought for the voting rights of the Indians and Africans. He helped establish a political organization, the Natal Indian Congress. He prepared a legal brief in 1895 to seek voting rights for Indians. To gain the support of Africans, Gandhi, along with his colleagues, helped the Africans as nurses by opposing racism.

It was in South Africa where Gandhi established his newspaper, named Indian Opinion to share his ideas with the African Indian Community. In 1910, In 1910, he established an idealistic community named Tolstoy Farm near Johannesburg. It was these developments which helped the black South Africans to gain voting rights and Mahatma Gandhi was declared a National Hero.’

Return to India

‘On 9th January 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa. Before his arrival, he already become a nationalist figure. Upon his arrival in India, Gandhi took a nationwide tour, where he witnessed chaos and disorder everywhere. He declared Gopa Krishna Gokhale as his Political Guru.

Mahatma Gandhi started his nationalist moments with the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917, the Kheda Satyagraha and the Ahmedabad Mill Strike in 1918. Then came the Khilafat Movement, where he tried to unite the Hindus and Muslims.

Gandhi, in his book ‘Hind Swaraj’, wrote that the British rule in India was the result of Indian cooperation. He said that if the Indian masses refused to co-operate, the British rule would come to an end and India would become a free and independent nation. Therefore, he launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920. After this movement, India was sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment.

Other important movements by Gandhiji were the Civil Disobedience and the Quit India Movement. Gandhi believed in religious pluralism. It was his and his fellow India’s undying efforts which led to India’s independence on 15th August 1947.’

‘Gandhiji’s ideas of nonviolence, peaceful satyagraha, self-reliance, simple living and religious tolerance earned him fame not only in India but from other countries also. His ideals inspired the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s. His ideals have inspired the whole world to live in peace.’

10 Lines on Mahatma Gandhi

Here are 10 lines on Mahatma Gandhi. Students can add them to their essays on Mahatma Gandhi or similar writing topics.

1. Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary is annually celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti on 2nd October.

2. Mahatma Gandhi was an important Indian freedom fighter.

3. He promoted the principle of nonviolence, or ‘ahimsa,’ as a powerful force for change.

4. Gandhi’s philosophy of ‘satyagraha’ emphasized the transformative power of truth and moral courage.

5. Mahatma Gandhi was a lawyer by profession.

6. Gandhi believed in economic self-reliance, encouraging the use of local products and cottage industries.

7. His life reflected a commitment to simple living and a rejection of materialism.

8. Religious tolerance was a core value for Gandhi, who championed the unity of all faiths.

9. Gandhi favoured the decentralization of political and economic power for community empowerment.

10. Gandhiji believed that education can help in character building and moral development.

10 Popular Quotes to Add in Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Here are 10 popular quotes by Mahatma Gandhi.

1. ‘Be the change that you wish to see in the world.’

2. ‘The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’

3. ‘You must be the change you want to see in the world.’

4. ‘An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.’

5. ‘The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.’

6. ‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.’

7. ‘Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.’

8. ‘First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.’

9. ‘Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.’

10. ‘The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.’

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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi- FAQs

What is the short essay on mahatma gandhi.

‘Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. His real name was ‘Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was one of the most influencial figure of the 20th century and his contributions made India an independent country. Mahatma Gandhi was known for his ideals and peaceful philosophies, such as non-violence, religious tolerance, self-reliant, etc. He led various nationalised movements, like the Champaran Satyagraha, Non Cooperation Movement, Civil Disoobedience and Quit India Movements.

What are some popular quotes by Mahatma Gandhi?

Some of the popular quotes by Gandhiji are: ‘Be the change that you wish to see in the world.’ ‘The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’ ‘You must be the change you want to see in the world.’ ‘An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.’ ‘The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.’ ‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.’

What do you know about Mahatma Gandhi’s 10 important points?

Gandhiji was a peace lover. He believed in religious tolerance. He wanted to unite all religions and castes of India. He was a lawyer by profession. His efforts led to India’s independence. Gandhi believed in economic self-reliance, encouraging the use of local products and cottage industries. His life reflected a commitment to simple living and a rejection of materialism. Religious tolerance was a core value for Gandhi, who championed the unity of all faiths.

What are the names of books written by Mahatma Gandhi?

Some of the books written by Mahatma Gandhi are: The Story of My Experiments With Truth, Hind Swaraj or Indian Home, The Words of Gandhi, India of My Dreams, etc.

When did Mahatma Gandhi arrive in India from South Africa?

Mahatma Gandhi arrived in India from South Africa on 9th January 1915. 9th January is also celebrated as Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas every year.

This was all about an essay on Mahatma Gandhi. We hope this essay was able to cover all the dimensions of the given topic. For more information on such informative essay topics, visit GeekforGeeks.

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Essay On Mahatma Gandhi In 1000+ Words

Essay On Mahatma Gandhi

Essay On Mahatma Gandhi

Hello, My Dear Friends, Jai Hind , In this Essay on Mahatma Gandhi we will read about his journey from Mohandas to Mahatma Gandhi in detail. So…

Let’s Start…

Gandhi Ji was born in Porbandar (Gujarat), on 2 Oct 1869. He was the son of Putli Bai and Karamchand Gandhi.

The father of Mahatma Gandhi became the Deewaans of the state. he gets services mainly from Porbandar and Rajkot. at this time, Gandhi Ji got married to Kasturba.

In 1888, Gandhi Ji goes to London and follows the Anglicised approach.

In 1889, Eventually, Gandhi Ji studies towards religion. it is also known as the enlightenment phase of Mahatma Gandhi’s life.

In 1891, he completes his education and comes back to India and practiced in the High court. he does a lot of struggle but finally, they don’t get any case, so he shifts from Bombay to Rajkot.

The first time, In 1893 Gandhiji was gone to South Africa. he was called by Gujarati businessman Dada Abdullah to settle some issues as a lawyer.

In South Africa, Gandhi landed in a place called Durban. Durban is a port of Africa.

On 7th June 1893, during traveling from the train the incident of racism Gandhiji takes place in South Africa.

In 1894, the Natal Indian Congress was the first body that was established by Gandhi Ji. And he was the first Indian Person who enrolled at the African supreme court.

In 1896, he come back to Rajkot and published “The Green Pamphlet” which shows the conditions of the Indian Community in South Africa.

In 1897, Gandhi Ji sails back to South Africa and participate in the Boer war (between French and British).

In 1899, he has established the ambulance corps and he was also awarded by medal by the British.

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In 1901 Gandhiji sails back to India. In Dec of this year, he attends the congress Calcutta session and raises Indian issues in South Africa.

In 1902, he come in contact with Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Gokhale was also known as the political guru of Mahatma Gandhi.

during this time he was called back to South Africa, due to the anti-Asiatic act(It is a form of ID Card which is required to carry by the Indian community).

In 1903, he established a transversal British India association in South Africa and started to publish a newspaper called Indian opinion.

In 1904, Mahatma Gandhi read john Ruskin’s book called Unto this last.

And he established phoenix Indian Settlement and also published an article called a guide to health.

In 1905, when the participation of Bengal took place then mahatma Gandhi criticized Lord Curzon as a part of Indian opinion(Newspaper). And said Curzon was wrong, the Bengali people had the right to the determination whether they want to divide or not.

In 1906, this phase is known as the transformation phase of Mahatma Gandhi. since now he is disinterested in worldly possessions and adopts the Brahmacharya vow and decides that He will protest the British by passive resistance oath.

During 1907-1908, he writes a series of 8 articles in Gujarati on “ethical religion”. at this time ‘Satyagrah’ was used instead of ‘Passive resistance’.

In 1909, Gandhiji sails to England, in this time Gandhiji writes to ‘Tolstoy’ on passive resistance and Tolstoy personally replied to Mahatma Gandhi on the basis of this reply Gandhiji established ‘Tolstoy Farm’. It says that it was the

ashram system was established by Gandhi when they came back to India.

The period of (1911-14) is very much important because Gandhi Ji started so many ‘Satyagraha.

In 1912, Gopal Krishna Gokhale visits south Africa with mahatma Gandhi and at this time. Gandhi Ji gives up the western dress.

During 1913-14, two main Satyagrah is started by Mahatma Gandhi.

one of them is against the supreme court judgment in South Africa. the supreme court of South Africa says that any marriage which is not according to the Christian rituals is nullifying.

and the second one is that Gandhiji starts satyagraha against poll taX (3 pounds) indentured laborers and also protest against inter-state migration.

In Jan 1915 Gandhi reaches Indian and this day is called India Pravasi Bhartiya divas.it is celebrated every two years.

In May 1915, Gandhi Ji makes Asharam on Ahmedabad, and later it was shifted to Sabarmati (1917).

During (1915-16) Gandhi visits the whole of India called ‘Bharat Darshan’.

In april 1917, he started Champaran satyagrah.

In 1918, Gandhiji started Champaran Satyagraha(mill worker) and Kheda Satyagraha (peasant).

On 6 April 1919, he started Rowlett satyagraha, the Rowlett Satyagrah is also known as ‘Himalayan Blunder.

The massacre of Jallianwala bagh happened on 13 April 1919.

In 1920, he started the khilafat movement. during this period, Gandhiji established Gujarat Vidyapeeth.

In 1921, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was dead at the time of the Non-cooperation movement. Gandhiji formed a fund called Tilak Swaraj Fund.

During the Non-Cooperation movement, Gandhiji visits Madurai (Tamilnadu) and discards their full clothes.

In 1922, the Chauri-Chaura incident take place in Gorakhpur(UP), Gandhiji was arrested and sent to jail(Yerwada) Pune, for six years.

In 1924, Gandhiji was released from jail due to ill health. during this period Gandhiji was the president of the congress at the Belgaum session (1924).

In 1925, Gandhiji started published its 2nd newspaper called ‘Young India’ in which he talked about 7 sins. at this time he also established the All India Spinners Association.

In 1928, he encouraged Anti Simon Protest.

In 1929, during the Lahore session of congress gives slogans of Purna swaraj.

On 12th March 1930, Gandhiji started salt satyagraha and on 6th April 1930, he has broken the salt law.

In March 1931, the meeting held between Gandhiji and viceroy Irwin in Delhi called the Gandhi-Irwin pact. it is also known as the Delhi pact.

In Sep-Nov 1931, Gandhiji attend second round table conference

In Jan 1932, the civil disobedience movement (2.0) start due to communal awards. for its Gandhiji fasting in jail. later on, the pact between Gandhiji and Bhimrao Ambedkar was called Poona Pact.

In 1936, Gandhiji settle the Sevagram ashram in central India (Wardha).

In 1939, Gandhiji fasts in Rajkot against their own princely state.

In 1940-42, Gandhiji criticized Cripps’s mission said that it is a post-dated cheque.

On 8th-9th Aug 1942, he started Quit India Movement.

The leader of the Indian National Army (INA) Subashchandra Bose addressed Mahatma Gandhi as a ‘Bapu’ on the radio.

And the title of ‘Mahatma’ was given by Rabindranath Tagore to Gandhiji.

In Aug 1942, Gandhiji writes ‘around me is utter darkness.

During this period the riots in the whole of India become increases mainly in Bengal.

In Sep 1947, Gandhiji against fasting in Calcutta, and the riots become stopped because of his appeal. it is also known as the ‘Calcutta Miracle’.

On 12th Jan 1948, Fasting leads to the establishment of the Central Peace Committee called peace pledge.

On 20 January(10 days before his death) a person named Madan Lal throws a Bomb on Gandhiji During prayer at Birlahouse.

On 30th June 1948, in the morning Gandhiji said that Congress renamed Congress Seva Sangh. But, Unfortunately at evening prayer, he was assassinated on way…. by Nathuram Godse.

Later on, the thought of Nathuram Godse was published as a book called ‘May it Please Your Honour’.

At last, Nathuram Godse was hanged at Ambala jail.

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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English for Children and Students

mahatma gandhi essay short form

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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English: Mahatma Gandhi was an influential political leader in India who is best known for leading the country’s nonviolent resistance movement against British colonialism. After studying law in England, Gandhi returned to India and became a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress. He advocated for India’s independence from British rule and promoted a philosophy of non-violent resistance. Gandhi was arrested numerous times by the British authorities, but he continued to lead protests and campaigns against British rule. In 1947, India finally achieved independence, and Gandhi played a key role in the country’s transition to democracy. He was assassinated in 1948 by a Hindu extremist.

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Below, we have provided simple essays on Mahatma Gandhi , a person who would always live in the heart of the Indian people. Every kid and child of India knows him by the name of Bapu, or Father of the Nation. Using the following Mahatma Gandhi essay, you can help your kids, and school-going children perform better in school during any competition or exam.

Long and Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English

Below are short and long essays on Mahatma Gandhi in English for your information and knowledge.

The essays have been written in simple yet effective English so that you can quickly grasp and present the information whenever needed.

After going through these Mahatma Gandhi essays, you will learn about the life and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, what role he played in the freedom struggle, and why is he the most respected leader in the world over; how his birthday is celebrated, etc.

The information given in the essays will be helpful in speech giving, essay writing, or speech-providing competition on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.

Also Read: Independence Day Speech for Students

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 1 (100 words)

Mahatma Gandhi is famous in India as “Bapu” or “Rastrapita.” His full name of him is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was a great freedom fighter who led India as a leader of nationalism against British rule. He was born on the 2 nd of October in 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat, India.

He died on the 30 th of January in 1948. M.K. Gandhi was assassinated by the Hindu activist Nathuram Godse, who was hanged later as a punishment by the government of India. Rabindranath Tagore has given him another name, “Martyr of the Nation,” since 1948.

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Mahatma Gandhi Essay 2 (150 words)

Mahatma Gandhi is called Mahatma because of his great works and greatness throughout his life. He was a great freedom fighter and non-violent activist who always followed non-violence throughout his life while leading India to independence from British rule.

He was born on the 2 nd of October 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat, India. He was just 18 years old while studying law in England. Later he went to the British colony of South Africa to practice his law, where he got differentiated from the light skin people because of being a dark skin person. That’s why he decided to become a political activist to make some positive changes in such unfair laws.

Later he returned to India and started a powerful and non-violent movement to make India an independent country. He was the one who led the Salt March (Namak Satyagrah or Salt Satyagrah or Dandi March) in 1930. He inspired many Indians to work against British rule for their independence.

Also Read: Sant Ravidas Jayanti 2024

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 3 (200 words)

Mahatma Gandhi was an outstanding personality in India who still inspires the people in the country and abroad through his legacy of greatness, idealness, and dignified life. Bapu was born in a Hindu family in Porbandar, Gujarat, India, on the 2 nd of October in 1869. The 2 nd of October was the great day for India when Bapu took birth. He paid an incredible and unforgettable role in the independence of India from British rule. The full name of the Bapu is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He went to England for his law study just after passing his matriculation examination. Later he returned to India as a lawyer in 1890.

After he arrived in India, he started helping Indian people facing various problems from British rule. He started a Satyagraha movement against the British government to help Indians. Other significant movements initiated by the Bapu for the independence of India are the Non-cooperation movement in 1920, the Civil Dis the obedience movement in 1930, and the Quit India movement in 1942. All the movements had shaken the British rule in India and inspired many everyday Indian citizens to fight for freedom.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 4 (250 words)

Bapu, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born 1869 on the 2 nd of October at Porbander in Gujarat, India. Mahatma Gandhi was a great Indian who led India in the independence movement against British rule. He completed his schooling in India and went to England for further study of law. He returned to India as a lawyer and started practicing law. He started helping the people of India who were humiliated and insulted by British rule.

He started the non-violence independence movement to fight against the injustice of Britishers. He was insulted many times but continued his non-violent struggle for the Independence of India. After his return to India, he joined Indian National Congress as a member. He was the great leader of the Indian independence movement who struggled a lot for the freedom of India. As a member of the Indian National Congress, he started independence movements like Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and later Quit India Movement, which became successful a day and helped India get freedom.

As a great freedom fighter, he got arrested and sent to jail many times, but he continued fighting against British rule for the justice of Indians. He was a great believer in non-violence and unity of people of all religions, which he followed through his struggle for independence. After many battles with many Indians, he finally became successful in making India an independent country on the 15 th of August in 1947. Later he was assassinated in 1948 on the 30 th of January by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu activist.

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Mahatma Gandhi Essay 5 (300 words)

Mahatma Gandhi was a great freedom fighter who spent his whole life in a struggle for the independence of India. He was born in an Indian Hindu family on the 2 nd of October in 1869 in Porbander, Gujarat. He lived his whole as a leader of the Indian people. His whole life story is a great inspiration for us. He is called the Bapu or Rashtrapita as he spent his life fighting against British rule for our freedom of us. While fighting with Britishers, he took the help of his great weapons like non-violence and Satyagraha movements to achieve independence. He was arrested and sent to jail many times but never discouraged himself and continued fighting for national freedom.

He is the birth father of our nation who used all his power to make us free from British rule. He understood the power of unity in people (from different castes, religions, communities, races, ages, or gender), which he used throughout his independence movement. Finally, he forced Britishers to quit India forever through his mass movements on the 15 th of August in 1947. Since 1947, India’s 15th of August has been celebrated as Independence Day th of August has been celebrated as Independence Day in India.

He could not continue his life after the independence of India in 1947 as he was assassinated by one of the Hindu activists, Nathuram Godse, in 1948 on the 30 th of January. He was a great personality who served his whole life till death for the motherland. He enlightened our life with the true light of freedom from British rule. He proved that everything is possible with the non-violence and unity of people. Even after dying many years ago, he is still alive in the heart of every Indian as a “Father of the Nation and Bapu.”

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 6 (400 words)

Mahatma Gandhi is well known as the “Father of the Nation or Bapu” because of his most significant contributions toward our country’s independence. He was the one who believed in the non-violence and unity of the people and brought spirituality to Indian politics. He worked hard the remove the untouchability in the Indian society , upliftment of the backward classes in India, raised his voice to develop villages for social development, and inspired Indian people to use swadeshi goods and other social issues. He brought familiar people in front to participate in the national movement and encouraged them to fight for their actual freedom.

He was one of the persons who converted people’s dream of independence into truth day through his noble ideals and supreme sacrifices. He is remembered for his wondrous works and primary virtues such as non-violence, truth, love, and fraternity. He was not born as excellent, but he made himself great through his hard struggles and work. The life of King Harischandra highly influenced him from the play titled Raja Harischandra. After schooling, he completed his law degree in England and began his career as a lawyer. He faced many difficulties in his life but continued walking as a great leader.

He started many mass movements like the Non-cooperation movement in 1920, the civil disobedience movement in 1930, and finally the Quit India Movement in 1942, throughout the way to independence of India. After many struggles and work, the British Government finally granted independence to India. He was a straightforward person who worked to remove the color barrier and caste barrier. He also worked hard to remove the untouchability in the Indian society and named untouchables as “Harijan” means the people of God.

He was a great social reformer and Indian freedom fighter who died a day after completing his aim of life. He inspired Indian people for the manual labour and said that arrange all the resource ownself for living a simple life and becoming self-dependent. He started weaving cotton clothes through the use of Charakha in order to avoid the use of videshi goods and promote the use of Swadeshi goods among Indians.

He was a strong supporter of the agriculture and motivated people to do agriculture works. He was a spiritual man who brought spirituality to the Indian politics. He died in 1948 on 30 th of January and his body was cremated at Raj Ghat, New Delhi. 30 th of January is celebrated every year as the Martyr Day in India in order to pay homage to him.

Essay on Non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi – Essay 7 (800 Words)

Introduction

Non-violence or ‘ahimsa’ is a practice of not hurting anyone intentionally or unintentionally. It is the practice professed by great saints like Gautam Buddha and Mahaveer. Mahatma Gandhi was one of the pioneer personalities to practice non-violence. He used non-violence as a weapon to fight the armed forces of the British Empire and helped us to get independence without lifting a single weapon.

Role of Non-violence in Indian Freedom Struggle

The role of non-violence in the Indian freedom struggle became prominent after the involvement of Mahatma Gandhi. There were many violent freedom struggles going on concurrently in the country and the importance of these cannot be neglected either. There were many sacrifices made by our freedom fighters battling against the British rule. But non-violence was a protest which was done in a very peaceful manner and was a great way to demand for the complete independence. Mahatma Gandhi used non-violence in every movement against British rule. The most important non-violence movements of Mahatma Gandhi which helped to shake the foundation of the British government are as follows.

  • Champaran and Kheda Agitations

In 1917 the farmers of Champaran were forced by the Britishers to grow indigo and again sell them at very cheap fixed prices. Mahatma Gandhi organized a non-violent protest against this practice and Britishers were forced to accept the demand of the farmers.

Kheda village was hit by floods in 1918 and created a major famine in the region. The Britishers were not ready to provide any concessions or relief in the taxes. Gandhiji organized a non-cooperation movement and led peaceful protests against the British administration for many months. Ultimately the administration was forced to provide relief in taxes and temporarily suspended the collection of revenue.

  • Non-cooperation Movement

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the harsh British policies lead to the Non-cooperation movement in 1920. It was the non-violence protest against the British rule. Gandhiji believed that the main reason of the Britishers flourishing in India is the support they are getting from Indians. He pleaded to boycott the use of British products and promoted the use of ‘Swadeshi’ products. Indians denied working for the Britishers and withdrew themselves from the British schools, civil services, government jobs etc. People started resigning from the prominent posts which highly affected the British administration. The Non-Cooperation movement shook the foundation of the British rule and all these without a single use of any weapon. The power of non-violence was more evident in the non-cooperation movement.

  • Salt Satyagrah or Salt March

Salt March or the ‘Namak Satyagrah’ was the non-violence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi against the salt monopoly of the Britishers. Britishers imposed a heavy taxation on the salt produce which affected the local salt production. Gandhiji started the 26 days non-violence march to Dandi village, Gujarat protesting against the salt monopoly of the British government. The Dandi march was started on 12 th March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram and ended on 06 th April 1930 at Dandi, breaking the salt laws of the British government and starting the local production of salt. The Salt March was a non violent movement which got the international attention and which helped to concrete the foundation of Independent India.

  • Quit India Movement

After the successful movement of the Salt March, the foundation of British government shook completely. Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 th August 1942 which demanded the Britishers to quit India. It was the time of World War II when Britain was already in war with Germany and the Quit India Movement acted as a fuel in the fire. There was a mass non-violent civil disobedience launched across the country and Indians also demanded their separation from World War II. The effect of Quit India Movement was so intense that British government agreed to provide complete independence to India once the war gets over. The Quit India Movement was a final nail in the coffin of the British rule in India.

These movements led by Mahatma Gandhi were completely Non-violent and did not use any weapon. The power of truth and non-violence were the weapons used to fight the British rule. The effect of non-violence was so intense that it gained the immediate attention of the international community towards the Indian independence struggle. It helped to reveal the harsh policies and acts of the British rule to the international audience.

Mahatma Gandhi always believed that weapons are not the only answer for any problem; in fact they created more problems than they solved. It is a tool which spreads hatred, fear and anger. Non-violence is one of the best methods by which we can fight with much powerful enemies, without holding a single weapon. Apart from the independence struggle; there are many incidents of modern times which exhibited the importance of non-violence and how it helped in bringing changes in the society and all that without spilling a single drop of blood. Hope the day is not very far when there will be no violence and every conflict and dispute will be solved through peaceful dialogues without harming anyone and shedding blood and this would be a greatest tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

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Long Essay on Mahatma Gandhi – Essay 8 (1100 Words)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi aka ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ was one of the great sons of Indian soil who rose to become a great soul and gave major contribution in the great Indian freedom struggle against the British rule in India. He was a man of ideologies and a man with great patience and courage. His non-violence movements involved peaceful protests and non-cooperation with the British rule. These movements had a long term effects on the Britishers and it also helped India to grab the eye balls of global leaders and attracted the attention on the international platforms.

Family and Life of Mahatma Gandhi

  • Birth and Childhood

Mahatma Gandhi was born as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on 02 nd October, 1869 at Porbandar (which is in the current state of Gujarat). His father Karamchand Gandhi was working as the Chief Minister (diwan) of Porbandar at that time. His mother Putlibai was a very devotional and generous lady. Young Gandhi was a reflection of his mother and inherited high values, ethics and the feeling of sacrifice from her.

  • Marriage and Education

Mohandas was married to Kasturba Makanji at a very young age of 13. In 1888, they were blessed with a baby boy and after which he sailed to London for higher studies. In 1893, he went to South Africa to continue his practice of law where he faced strong racial discrimination by the Britishers. The major incident which completely changed the young Gandhi was when he was forcibly removed from the first class compartment of a train due to his race and color.

  • Civil Rights Movement in Africa

After the discrimination and embracement faced by Gandhi due to his race and color, he vowed to fight and challenge the racial discrimination of immigrants in South Africa. He formed Natal Indian Congress in 1894 and started fighting against racial discrimination. He fought for the civil rights of the immigrants in South Africa and spent around 21 years there.

  • Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian Freedom Struggle

Gandhi returned to India in 1915 and joined Indian National Congress and started to raise voice against the British rule in India and demanded the complete independence or ‘Purn Swaraj’ for India. He started many non-violent movements and protests against Britishers and was also imprisoned various times in his long quest of freedom. His campaigns were completely non-violent without the involvement of any force or weapons. His ideology of ‘ahimsa’ meaning not to injure anyone was highly appreciated and was also followed by many great personalities around the globe.

Why was Gandhi called Mahatma?

‘Mahatma’ is a Sanskrit word which means ‘great soul’. It is said that it was Rabindranth Tagore who first used ‘Mahatma’ for Gandhi. It was because of the great thoughts and ideologies of Gandhi which made people honour him by calling ‘Mahatma Gandhi’. The great feeling of sacrifice, love and help he showed throughout his life was a matter of great respect for each citizen of India.

Mahatma Gandhi showed a lifelong compassion towards the people affected with leprosy. He used to nurse the wounds of people with leprosy and take proper care of them. In the times when people used to ignore and discriminate people with leprosy, the humanitarian compassion of Gandhi towards them made him a person with great feelings and a person with great soul justifying himself as Mahatma.

Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution on various social issues could never be ignored. His campaign against untouchability during his imprisonment in the Yerwada Jail where he went on fast against the age old evil of untouchability in the society had highly helped the upliftment of the community in the modern era. Apart from this, he also advocated the importance of education, cleanliness, health and equality in the society. All these qualities made him a man with great soul and justify his journey from Gandhi to Mahatma.

What are Gandhi’s accomplishments?

Mahatma Gandhi was a man with mission who not only fought for the country’s independence but also gave his valuable contribution in uprooting various evils of the society. The accomplishments of Mahatma Gandhi is summarized below:

  • Fought against Racial Discrimination in South Africa

The racial discrimination in South Africa shocked Mahatma Gandhi and he vowed to fight against it. He challenged the law which denied the voting rights of the people not belonging to the European region. He continued to fight for the civil rights of the immigrants in South Africa and became a prominent face of a civil right activist.

  • Face of the Indian Freedom Struggle

Mahatma Gandhi was the liberal face of independence struggle. He challenged the British rule in India through his peaceful and non-violent protests. The Champaran Satyagrah, Civil Disobedience Movement, Salt March, Quit India Movement etc are just the few non-violent movements led by him which shook the foundation of the Britishers in India and grabbed the attention of the global audience to the Indian freedom struggle.

  • Uprooting the Evils of Society

Gandhi Ji also worked on uprooting various social evils in the society which prevailed at that time. He launched many campaigns to provide equal rights to the untouchables and improve their status in the society. He also worked on the women empowerment, education and opposed child marriage which had a long term effect on the Indian society.

What was Gandhi famous for?

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the great personalities of India. He was a man with simplicity and great ideologies. His non-violent way to fight a much powerful enemy without the use of a weapon or shedding a single drop of blood surprised the whole world. His patience, courage and disciplined life made him popular and attracted people from every corners of the world.

He was the man who majorly contributed in the independence of India from the British rule. He devoted his whole life for the country and its people. He was the face of the Indian leadership on international platform. He was the man with ethics, values and discipline which inspires the young generation around the globe even in the modern era.

Gandhi Ji was also famous for his strict discipline. He always professed the importance of self discipline in life. He believed that it helps to achieve bigger goals and the graces of ahimsa could only be achieved through hard discipline.

These qualities of the great leader made him famous not only in India but also across the world and inspired global personalities like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King.

Mahatma Gandhi helped India to fulfill her dream of achieving ‘Purna Swaraj’ or complete independence and gave the country a global recognition. Though he left this world on 30 th January, 1948, but his ideologies and thoughts still prevail in the minds of his followers and act as a guiding light to lead their lives. He proved that everything is possible in the world if you have a strong will, courage and determination.

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FAQs on Mahatma Gandhi

Who is Mahatma Gandhi?

Mahatma Gandhi was an influential political leader in India who is best known for leading the country's non-violent resistance movement against British colonialism.

Write Mahatma Gandhi essay in english?

Mahatma Gandhi was a man with mission who not only fought for the country’s independence but also gave his valuable contribution in uprooting various evils of the society.

When is Gandhi Jayanti?

The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti. It is on 2nd October.

Who was Kasturba?

Kasturba was Gandhi's wife. He was married to Kasturba at a very young age of 13.

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mahatma gandhi essay short form

Time Is Running Out for Rahul Gandhi’s Vision for India

But in this year’s elections, the scion of India’s most storied political family is still trying to unseat Modi — and change the nation’s course.

India’s National Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi, as his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (Unite India March for Justice) passed through Varanasi. Credit... Chinky Shukla for The New York Times

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By Samanth Subramanian

Samanth Subramanian is a writer and journalist based in London. He has covered Indian politics, culture and the rise of Hindu nationalism for The New Yorker, The Guardian and The New York Times.

  • Published April 20, 2024 Updated April 22, 2024

Rahul Gandhi stood in a red Jeep, amid a churning crowd in Varanasi, trying to unseat the Indian government with a microphone in his hand. “The mic isn’t good,” he said. “Please quiet down and listen.” It was the morning of Feb. 17 — Day 35 of a journey that began in the hills of Manipur, in India’s northeast, and would end by the ocean in Mumbai, in mid-March. In total, Gandhi would cover 15 states and 4,100 miles, traveling across a country that once voted for his party, the Indian National Congress, almost by reflex. No longer, though. For a decade, the Congress Party has been so deep in the political wilderness, occupying fewer than a tenth of the seats in Parliament, that even its well-wishers wonder if Gandhi is merely the custodian of its end.

Listen to this article, read by Vikas Adam

Gandhi called his expedition the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra — roughly, the Unite India March for Justice. He never said it in so many words, but the yatra was an appeal to voters to deny Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party a third straight term in parliamentary elections starting on April 19. Congress, the only other party with a national presence, is the fulcrum of an anti-B.J.P. coalition. Indian pundits and journalists bicker about many things, but on this point they’re unanimous: Only a miracle will halt the B.J.P. Still, it falls to Gandhi, steward of his enfeebled party, to try.

The speech lasted barely 15 minutes. Gandhi is a fidgety orator, unable to shrug off the routine disturbances of a rally. He kept calling for silence, and scolding overzealous policemen regulating the mob. He didn’t ramble, exactly, but eddied around the point he wanted to make. “This is a country of love, not of hate,” he said. He talked of two Indias, populated respectively by the millionaires and the impoverished. He laid into TV news channels, many of which have been captured by oligarchs prospering under the B.J.P.: “They won’t show the farmers, or the workers or the poor,” he said. “But they will show Narendra Modi 24 hours a day.” Then he helped onto his Jeep a member of the audience, a young man who complained that, despite spending hundreds of thousands of rupees on his education, he still had no job. His is a common story in Modi’s India. Two out of every five recent college graduates are out of work, and young people make up 83 percent of the unemployed. To his crowd, Gandhi called out: “These are the two issues facing India: unemployment and — ?” He received only a tepid response of “poverty.” When he finished, there was no applause.

The crush of people at the rally was suffocating, although in India a crowd is no index of popularity. People may gawk and then go vote for the other guy — and Gandhi is, after all, one of the country’s most recognizable men. Officially, he is no longer his party’s president, but he is undoubtedly its face. At 53, with a well-salted beard and serious eyes, he’s too old to be called Congress’s “scion,” but he still wears the sheen of dynasty. His great-grandfather, the unflinchingly secular Jawaharlal Nehru, was India’s first prime minister. His grandmother, Indira, and his father, Rajiv, both became prime ministers; both were assassinated. His mother, Sonia, steered Congress into government in 2004 and 2009, but declined the top post. Then, on the heels of several corruption scandals, the mighty party — 140 years old next year — came unstuck. Out of 543 seats in the lower house of Parliament, Congress holds just 46, compared to the B.J.P.’s 288. Gandhi embodies all this history: the triumphs as well as the failures. For the crowds, that is the fascination he exerts.

One of Modi’s successes has been not just to trounce the Congress Party but also to persuade people that the party has weakened India and emasculated its Hindus. Through his cult of personality, Modi is fulfilling a century-old project, recasting India as a Hindu nation, in which minorities, particularly Muslims, live at the sufferance of the majority. Emblematic of this is a new law offering fast-tracked citizenship to people fleeing Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan — as long as they aren’t Muslim. It is the B.J.P.’s totemic achievement: the use of religion to decide who can be called “Indian.” Opposing this law or indeed resisting the B.J.P. in any way has proved difficult. Investigating agencies mount flimsy cases against critics of the government, as Amnesty International has frequently noted. (Amnesty itself halted its work in India in 2020, in the midst of what it later called an “incessant witch hunt” by the government.) Activists are regularly imprisoned, sometimes on the basis of planted evidence; journalists are sent to jail or otherwise bullied so frequently that India has slipped to 161st out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index , just three spots above Russia. Pliant courts often endorse it all. Such is the mood in India that one of the plainest sentences in Congress’s election manifesto is also one of its most resonant: “We promise you freedom from fear.”

mahatma gandhi essay short form

As the election neared, the quelling of dissent grew more visible still. This year, in an unprecedented move, Modi’s administration arrested two chief ministers of states run by small opposition parties. (One stepped down hours before his arrest.) In both instances, the government claimed corruption, but many critics noted that the arrests were uncannily timed to pull two popular politicians out of campaign season in states where the B.J.P. has struggled. Income-tax authorities froze Congress’s bank accounts, supposedly over a late filing. “It has been orchestrated to cripple us in the elections,” Gandhi told reporters. If so, it feels like overkill, because it is common wisdom that Congress can’t win. Those who want nothing to do with the B.J.P. watch Gandhi with conflicted anguish. He is, by all accounts, sincere, empathetic and committed to a pluralistic India. This is a man who forgave his father’s killers, and who said on the sidelines of a private New York event last year, according to one of those present: “I don’t hate Modi. The day I hate, I will leave politics.” But he’s also the latest in a lineage under whom Congress grew undemocratic and sometimes wildly corrupt. The great liberal hope is that Gandhi can achieve contradictory things: use his dynastic privilege to resuscitate his party, and dissolve the dynasty at the same time.

That’s a steep demand, but Gandhi’s priorities are altogether more Himalayan. “He doesn’t say it,” Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) who knows Gandhi well, told me, “but he’s modeling himself after Mahatma Gandhi. He doesn’t want to take any position of power.” In January, Gandhi told his colleagues that he has “one foot in and one foot out of the party,” and that he plans to be “a bridge to activists outside.” As he explained it then, the B.J.P., with its undiluted majoritarianism, “is a political-ideological machine. It can’t be defeated by a political machine alone.” His role, as he sees it, is to be the counter ideology — to go out into the country, rouse Indians to the dangers of the B.J.P. and offer them his dream of a fairer, more tolerant India instead.

The yatra is a well-worn exercise in Indian politics. Its most famous practitioner, Mahatma Gandhi, returned from South Africa in 1915 hungering to know more about his country. Go travel the land, one of his mentors told him, “with eyes and ears open, but mouth shut.” After using the yatra to gain an education, he employed it for political purpose. In 1930, he walked 240 miles to the Arabian Sea to protest the British monopoly on salt; hundreds of people joined him, and he spoke to thousands en route. On reaching the beach, he scooped out a fist of salty sand and announced he had broken the monopoly, setting off a wave of civil disobedience. There have been plenty of other yatras since. In 1983, Smita Gupta, a retired journalist who was then a cub reporter, walked part of a 2,650-mile yatra by a politician named Chandra Shekhar, as he tried to enlist support against Indira Gandhi. As Gupta recalled, for people who live far from the centers of power, “when a politician descends from the skies and comes to your home, it’s a big deal — I was swept away.”

Rahul Gandhi conceived of his yatra much as Chandra Shekhar did: as a way to counter the ideology of a seemingly immovable leader. There’s no place more vital for this project than Uttar Pradesh, the state through which I trailed him in February. With its 80 parliamentary seats and 240 million people, many living on incomes lower than the sub-Saharan average of $1,700 a year, Uttar Pradesh is electorally pivotal. Excelling here isn’t a guarantee of securing power in Delhi, but it’s as close to ironclad as it gets. It’s also the state that produced the Gandhis. When Nehru, born in Uttar Pradesh, ran for Parliament from a constituency near his hometown, Congress shared one advantage with other parties in post-colonial countries: the glory of having led the freedom struggle. That kept for surprisingly long without spoiling. Nehru’s heirs — Indira, then her son Rajiv, then his wife, Sonia — all won election after election from their constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi once called Uttar Pradesh his karmabhoomi , a Sanskrit word for the land of one’s momentous actions.

But Uttar Pradesh also became the land where Congress was fated to fail. Today it’s the roiling heart of the B.J.P.’s Hindu nationalism. Varanasi, Hinduism’s most sacred city, lies near the state’s eastern border, and Modi chose to represent it in Parliament — a crafty choice for a man wishing to be hailed as a defender of his faith. Around 40 million Muslims live in the state, and under its B.J.P. chief minister, they’re increasingly being erased from public life. One law jeopardizes their right to marry whom they wish. Other regulations have constricted the meat trade, in which many Muslims work. Islamic schools are in danger of being banned outright. By painting Muslims as trespassers, the B.J.P. licenses violence against them, sometimes even explicitly. (In 2015, a man was beaten to death by his Hindu neighbors in his village in western Uttar Pradesh, on the rumor that he had slaughtered a cow. The men accused of his murder have since been freed on bail and the case is still unresolved.) More than any other part of India, Uttar Pradesh shows what the B.J.P. has wrought and how successful it has been. In 2019, during the last national election, the B.J.P. swept 62 of the state’s 80 seats. Congress won just one.

A few years ago, Gandhi decided that his party needed a way to mobilize people against the B.J.P., settling on a yatra as a means to that end. He embarked on his first, walking up the spine of India, in late 2022. Even the plainness of his attire — sneakers, loosefitting trousers, white polo shirt — was a rebuke to the Olympian vanity of Modi, who once had his own name stitched, in tiny letters, to form the pinstripes of a suit. The yatras felt like campaigns, yet Gandhi’s team insists that they were not about projecting him as prime minister but rather a form of ideological resistance, almost above politics. (His staff politely refused my repeated requests for an interview.)

The Congress Party found itself divided over Gandhi’s approach. Salman Khurshid, a Congress veteran, worried that the party has strayed from bread-and-butter political strategy. We were in his office in Delhi, and he kept looking dolorously at his phone, which never stopped ringing. It was the feverish middle of the election season, and Congress was picking its candidates and negotiating alliances with other parties. Gandhi had to weigh in, Khurshid said: “We’d like him to be within shouting distance. He’s a thousand kilometers away.” Khurshid wished for a more customary system, the sort that promised, say, a 20-minute appointment at 10 a.m. to talk about three things. “That’s how ordinary political parties work,” he said. “He wants an extraordinary political party.”

Sometimes, Gandhi’s team told Khurshid and others to come on the yatra and talk to Gandhi on the bus. But it wasn’t sufficient, Khurshid told me. “There’s never enough time.” The yatra involved a lot of stopping and starting and stopping again, as I discovered. Two or three times a day, Gandhi’s Jeep — and its caravan of police cars, S.U.V.s and a vehicle bearing a device labeled “Jammer” — inched through a town, halting at a crossroads for a speech. Then the convoy would hasten to its next engagement, trying to cover vast Uttar Pradesh distances through dense Uttar Pradesh traffic, and always behind schedule. The day ended in a cordoned-off campsite, where everyone slept in shipping containers fitted with bunks. Here, in his own enclosure, Gandhi hobnobbed with local Congress functionaries or practiced jiu-jitsu with his instructor.

In Prayagraj, where we headed after Varanasi, it’s possible to traverse the distance between the party’s zenith and its rock bottom in a single evening. First, Gandhi made a speech outside Anand Bhavan, an ancestral family home, an eggshell-white mansion on an emerald lawn. Anand Bhavan is now a museum, but its chief relic is intangible: the promise of Nehruvian secularism, circa 1947. Then, while leaving Prayagraj, we passed the high court that invalidated Indira Gandhi’s election in 1975 on the grounds of electoral malpractice. The verdict provoked her to impose a state of emergency — a suspension of civic rights — for nearly two years, tarnishing Congress and strengthening its competitors. By this time too, the party had wrapped itself feudally around the dynasty. Any emergent leaders with their own base were subdued or cast off because they threatened the Gandhis. By the late 1980s, other politicians had clawed voters away from Congress by courting specific groups — members of a caste, say, or as with the B.J.P. and Hindus, of a religion.

As Congress faltered, its workers joined rival parties, including the B.J.P. In India, party workers don’t just canvass voters — they step in for an insufficient state. If a farmer needing a loan is turned away by the bank manager, or if a woman can’t pay the cost of treatment for her sick daughter, party workers use their contacts to help. These services are performed in the hope that the favors will be returned every five years, come the election. “The average party worker needs, say, 10,000 rupees a month to run his home,” an old Congress hand in Varanasi, who asked not to be named for fear of professional reprisal, told me. “If their party can’t get to power, how will they get paid? They’ll go work for whoever is most likely to win.”

Gilles Verniers, a political scientist, recounted taking his Ashoka University class on a trip to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh’s capital, on the day votes were counted in a state election in 2017. He distributed his pupils among the headquarters of various parties, but by midmorning, the students at the Congress office called him. “They said: ‘Can we go elsewhere?’” Verniers told me. “ ‘There’s no one here, everybody left.’ The party knew they were getting spanked, but at least you could stick around, thanking workers, encouraging them. There was no one to even make tea.” Today, the Varanasi representative told me, “we just hope to God we win even one seat in Uttar Pradesh.”

Gandhi entered politics with several lifetimes’ worth of trauma packed into his 33 years. When he was 14, two of his grandmother’s bodyguards shot her dead — revenge for an assault she ordered upon a Sikh temple to root out separatist militants sheltering within. The bodyguards had taught a young Rahul how to play badminton. Seven years later, while he was a student at Harvard, his father, Rajiv, was killed by a suicide bomber — revenge again, this time by a separatist group in Sri Lanka, where he had sent Indian troops to aid the government. It became difficult for Rahul Gandhi to be Rahul Gandhi: to trust people or go anywhere ungirded by security. For a while it didn’t seem inevitable that he would choose politics. Later he would say that he made the decision on a train just as it entered Prayagraj, when he was taking his father’s cremated remains to pour into the Ganges River.

Smita Gupta, the former journalist, attended one of Gandhi’s earliest rallies, in an Uttar Pradesh town called Farrukhabad, in 2004. The road was so crowded that a 15-minute drive took three hours. Gandhi arrived in a Jeep, smiling and dimpling and waving. As he walked to the dais, the barricades broke from the masses of excited people pushing against them. “He was swept away, sailing with the crowd,” Gupta said. Soon after Congress won that election, Gandhi took charge of the party’s junior wing. The transition to the dynasty’s next generation seemed underway, and he exhibited the air of someone who knew he was the man for the job.

At the time, Gandhi often showed little patience with the orthodox figures of politics. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a political scientist at Princeton, who met Gandhi back then, recalled that he made minimal eye contact and seemed distracted — unable even to feign interest as politicians usually do so well. A journalist who met Gandhi privately told me that he was, as the saying goes, eager to tell you what you thought: “It was: ‘You don’t know how the Congress works. Let me tell you.’ Or, ‘I’ll tell you about India and Pakistan.’” In his memoir “A Promised Land,” Barack Obama compared Gandhi, whom he met in 2010, to “a student who’d done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject.” One of Gandhi’s colleagues admits he used to be “very anxious and pushy” back in the day. “He has calmed down over a period of time.”

He had to. Congress isn’t a party you can change in a hurry. Its ways are too ossified, and it is honeycombed with fiefs. When Gandhi wanted Congress to field new faces in elections, he pushed for candidates to be selected through an internal voting system, rather like a primary. According to one former party consultant, senior politicians, worried about losing their tickets, complained to his mother, Sonia, the Congress president. Khurshid, one of the old guard, told me: “Everything that destroys democracy got in there — money, muscle, power.” It resulted in “the dedicated warriors of the Congress at the youth level” being sidelined. The primaries never took off. In 2018, Gandhi wanted young chief ministers in three states where Congress had won state elections. He didn’t get his way. But at least Gandhi tried something, a consultant to Congress told me. “If you leave it to these other guys,” he said, “they will not even change the curtains in the party office.”

These exasperations may have amplified a hesitancy about power and responsibility that Gandhi seemed always to harbor. In 2009, he declined the offer to be a cabinet minister. Perhaps even then he saw his role as that of a moral authority outside the government, Yechury said. On becoming the party’s vice president, Gandhi gave not a stirring speech but a somber one, recalling the assassinations in his family and counseling his party that “power is poison.” In 2017, he became the party’s president, but after Congress lost the 2019 election, he quit the post. According to two Congress sources, he expected other top party leaders to feel accountable and step down as well. No one did.

In a party often pilloried for being dynastic, Gandhi has been unable to stamp his will on Congress. One friend of the family described Gandhi as “timid.” When his 2022 yatra went through the state of Kerala, Yechury, the Communist leader, considered walking with him, but members of Congress’s Kerala unit protested: The Communists were their chief rivals in the state, and this show of solidarity — even against the B.J.P., a common antagonist — wouldn’t do at all. Yechury couldn’t understand it. Gandhi might not be the party’s president, but there’s no doubt he is its presiding force, Yechury said. Why didn’t he just hold fast?

Two years ago, during a protest in Delhi, Gandhi and dozens of his Congress colleagues were detained by the police. One of those present, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly, told me that several senior leaders were held together, and Gandhi had “really frank and open conversations” with them. A couple of these leaders “got aggressive, saying, ‘You have to take charge,’ persuading him to take back the party presidency, accusing him of running away from responsibility.” It was high-octane drama: “What do you do when you’re detained, man? We were there for six hours. He couldn’t go anywhere.” The Congress worker remembers Gandhi saying then: “I know what I have to do. My job is to do mass outreach. You guys handle the party.”

Gandhi’s two yatras have unfolded in the shadow of another, some 30 years ago — one that ultimately helped bring Modi to power. Riding in a Toyota decked out as a chariot, a B.J.P. leader named Lal Krishna Advani rode through northern and central India, advertising one of his party’s priorities: the claim that, 450 years earlier in the town Ayodhya, a Mughal ruler had knocked down a temple to build a mosque. Advani promised his audiences that the B.J.P. would restore the temple to that very spot. Two years later, the foot soldiers of the B.J.P. and other right-wing groups razed the mosque, triggering not just riots that killed 2,000 people but also a deep fracture in Indian society. After that, the B.J.P. regularly listed the construction of a temple in its election manifestos, harvesting votes out of the religious polarization around the issue. In 2019, mere months after Modi won his second term, the Supreme Court ruled that the mosque’s demolition was illegal, and that there was no evidence it had been built by knocking down a Hindu shrine. Yet the judges allowed a new temple to be erected on the site, legitimizing the majority’s abuse of disputed medieval history to its own retributive ends. In January, that temple was consecrated. Modi presided over the rites, as if he were head priest rather than prime minister.

Congress didn’t send any representatives to the temple’s inauguration, and I had expected Gandhi to speak about Ayodhya, which lies, after all, in Uttar Pradesh. But he barely mentioned it, even in Varanasi, a city facing a potential reprise of Ayodhya. The morning after his speech there, I visited a quarter called Pilikothi, following a sequence of lanes, each framed by so many tall tenements that there was something canyonlike about them. It was a Sunday, but Pilikothi echoed with the tack-tack of sari looms. The sound drifted into the basement in which Abdul Batin Nomani, the mufti of Varanasi, sat at a low desk. Behind him were shelves of theological volumes. When he pulled a book out to illustrate a point, his hand didn’t hesitate for a second.

The title of mufti, or jurist, has been in Nomani’s family since 1927, and he has filled the role for more than two decades. In that time, he said, the B.J.P. has spread so much hate that it has corroded even the possibility of amicable relations between Hindus and Muslims. You can be arrested for offering the namaz in public, or for being a Muslim man marrying a Hindu woman, or for running your butcher shop during Hindu festivals. You could be lynched on a whisper that you’re carrying beef, or have your house bulldozed on suspicion of being a rioter, or be hunted by mobs goaded by B.J.P. politicians calling for murder. Nomani told me about the head of a Hindu monastery nearby, and how they would invite one another to their religious functions. “Then, slowly, his mind turned,” Nomani said. “He must have been convinced that to talk to people like me is wrong.”

Nomani heads the committee of the Gyanvapi Mosque, another centuries-old structure that the Hindu right aims to replace with a temple. Weeks before I met Nomani, a court allowed Hindus to worship in the mosque’s basement, similar to what happened in Ayodhya in 1986. Varanasi’s Muslims are fearful, Nomani said. Wouldn’t the same cascade of consequences ensue? Wouldn’t other mosques surely follow? When the yatra swung by, Nomani told a local Congress representative he would welcome a meeting with Gandhi. It never transpired. Nomani wondered why Gandhi didn’t even speak about the issue and directly confront the B.J.P.’s divisive politics. “Someone could have called and reassured us: ‘Don’t worry, we’re with you,’” Nomani said. He regards Gandhi with sympathy. “I believe he wants to do the right thing, and that he is against this culture of hate,” he said. “But he’s weak. His party is weak. He can’t do anything.”

From Prayagraj, the yatra headed to Amethi, a town a couple of hours to the north. I had last visited in 2009, when it was still a stronghold of Congress’s first family, and I remembered the fields of winter mustard, yellow till the horizon, on the town’s outskirts and the wishbone layout of its three main roads. Gandhi won resoundingly that year. But in 2014, when his margin shrank, he must have seen the incoming tide of Hindu nationalism. Sanjay Singh, a local Congress worker, recalled that, on vote-counting day, Gandhi sounded dispirited as the results trickled in, telling his colleagues “the politics of this state is beyond my understanding.” In 2019, the B.J.P. flipped Amethi. If Gandhi hadn’t simultaneously run from another seat, in Kerala, he wouldn’t be in Parliament at all.

The yatra’s schedule included an evening rally, so I spent the afternoon in Singh’s house in a village nearby. A stern-eyed man with a ramrod bearing, he wore a spotless white shirt and trousers, and he had tucked a Congress streamer around his neck like a cravat. He lamented Congress’s loss of Amethi, but he wasn’t surprised. Between 2014 and 2019, Gandhi visited Amethi less and less, dispatching his advisers instead. Still, Singh felt almost guilty that Amethi voted for the B.J.P. Last year he had a chance to meet Gandhi, he said, and asked him to run from Amethi again: “I told him, ‘Whatever mistake we made, we’re ready to rectify.’” A few weeks after I met Singh, though, Gandhi declared that he would stick to his constituency in Kerala.

For the rally, the party had set up rows of chairs in a field, but the audience started dribbling out almost as soon as it began. By the time Gandhi was midway through his speech, only half the chairs were occupied. He talked about China, and riots in faraway Manipur, and the B.J.P.’s cronyism. Standing next to me, a policewoman told a videographer, “He isn’t talking about Amethi at all.” The only cheers came when he raised the plight of India’s poorer castes — the very people who made up most of his audience. As he had done throughout the yatra, he warned them they’d never get very far in the B.J.P.’s India. He may well be right, but I remembered something Mehta told me. Modi’s narrative of a resurgent Hinduism, however hollow, makes people feel good about themselves, Mehta said. “Rahul’s narrative does the opposite.”

The next day, something interrupted the yatra’s staid choreography. We were in Raebareli, the one Uttar Pradesh constituency still with the Congress Party. Halfway through his address, Gandhi invited a young man onto his Jeep to quiz him about his prospects. The man introduced himself as Amit Maurya, but he was barely audible, so Gandhi said, paternally but lightly, “First, learn how to handle a microphone.”

“I’m a little anxious, sir.”

“Don’t worry,” Gandhi replied. “You’re a lion.”

Either it was the pressure of the moment or the unchecking of a dam of frustration, but Maurya burst into tears.

In the week’s most genuine moment, Gandhi seemed nonplused, as if he didn’t know what to do with this political gift. Instinctively, he folded Maurya into an embrace and kept his arm around the sobbing man. Still, he just couldn’t abandon his routine — the statistics he’d memorized, the thesis presentation mode he was in. But even if his speech didn’t change, he sounded more passionate — angry, even — about the inequities he had lined up to narrate to his crowd.

Well after the yatra’s end, when summer hammers down and ballot machines appear in schools and colleges and municipal buildings, Gandhi may at least be able to count on Maurya’s vote. But who knows. Elections are subject to every manner of caprice, and the B.J.P. has shown itself to be peerless at swaying India’s voters. Out of hubris or audacity, Gandhi wants to persuade people to consider lofty things like morality and love, indispensable values that nonetheless make for nebulous campaign platforms. He doesn’t mind if it takes years, and perhaps he doesn’t mind if he loses his party in the process. In that time, though, he risks seeing his idea of India extinguished altogether.

Samanth Subramanian, who has written frequently for the magazine, is the author of several books, including “This Divided Island: Life, Death and the Sri Lankan War” and “A Dominant Character: The Radical Politics and Restless Politics of J.B.S. Haldane,” a New York Times Notable Book of 2020. Chinky Shukla is a documentary photographer based in New Delhi. Her work focuses on cultural assimilation, memory and the environment.

Read by Vikas Adam

Narration produced by Tanya Pérez

Engineered by Zachary Mouton

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