M. K. Gandhi
Indian independence leader and activist
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, known as Mahatma Gandhi, led India's independence movement against British rule through nonviolent protest. His life story is told in An Autobiography.
1 summary 34 min of listening
About M. K. Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) was born in coastal Gujarat into a Hindu Bania community, the son of a senior government official. He trained in law in London, then became known for working for the rights of Indian immigrants in South Africa, where he developed new methods of nonviolent civil disobedience. He returned to India in 1915 and organized peasants to protest heavy land taxes. After taking the leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, he led nationwide campaigns on poverty, women's rights, religious and ethnic harmony, ending untouchability and economic self-reliance, all aimed at Swaraj, India's independence from British rule. Gandhi was assassinated in January 1948 during his evening prayers.