A short and complete chronological biography of Mahatma Gandhi – The Father of Nation

A short and complete chronological biography of Mahatma Gandhi – The Father of Nation

This is a short and complete chronological biography of our beloved father of nation Mahatma Gandhi. An inspirational journey of life till today for the world.

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

Childhood life

1869	Born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Kathiawar Agency, British India to parents Father - Karamchand Gandhi, was the Chief Minister (diwan) of the city of Porbanadar. Mother – Putlibai
1876	Early education in Rajkot; betrothed to Kasturbai Makhanji Kapadia (born April 11, 1869, Porbandar - died February 22, 1944, Pune)
1883	In May, 1883 married to Kasturbai at the age of 13
1885	Father Karamchand Gandhi died
1887	In November 1887, graduated from high school in Ahmedabad. In January 1888, he enrolled at Samaldas College in Bhavnagar State. In July 1888, his wife Kasturba gave birth to their first surviving son, Harilal.

“A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.”

Life in London and South Africa

1888	4th September, he sailed from Bombay to London. Gandhi made a vow in front of his mother that he would abstain from meat, alcohol and women.
1889	First public speech in England to a gathering of vegetarian. Joined the London Vegetarian Society and was elected to its executive committee.
1891	Became Barrister on 10th June; Sailed back to India and reached Bombay on 7th July where he received news of his mother’s death.
1892	Started legal practice at Rajkot and Bombay
1893	Muslim merchant in Kathiawar named Dada Abdullah contacted Gandhi. Abdullah owned a large successful shipping business in South Africa. His distant cousin in Johannesburg needed a lawyer. In April 1893, Gandhi aged 23, set sail for South Africa to be the lawyer for Abdullah's cousin.
	In June, Dada Abdulla asked him to undertake a rail trip to Pretoria, Transvaal, a journey which first took Gandhi to Pietermaritzburg, Natal. There, Gandhi was seated in the first-class compartment, as he had purchased a first-class ticket. A White person who entered the compartment summon the White railway officials, who ordered Gandhi to remove himself to the van compartment, since 'coolies' (a racist term for Indians) and non-whites were not permitted in first-class compartments. Gandhi protested and produced his ticket, but was warned to make a gracious exit. As Gandhi refused to comply with the order, a White police officer pushed him out of the train, and his luggage was tossed out on to the platform. The train steamed away, and Gandhi withdrew to the waiting room. "It was winter," and "the cold was extremely bitter. In another incident, the magistrate of a Durban court ordered Gandhi to remove his turban, which he refused to do. Indians were not allowed to walk on public footpaths in South Africa. Gandhi was kicked by a police officer out of the footpath onto the street without warning.
1894	In May 1894, the Abdullah case of civil suite decided by compromise. New Natal government discriminatory proposal led to Gandhi extending his original period of stay in South Africa for campaigning against.
1895	He helped found the Natal Indian Congress and through this organisation, he moulded the Indian community of South Africa into a unified political force.
1896	Returned from South Africa to India for six months. Met Indian leaders like Tilak, Gokhale and others. Went back to South Africa again on 28th November
1897	In January 1897, when Gandhi landed in Durban, a mob of white settlers attacked him and he escaped only through the efforts of the wife of the police superintendent. However, he refused to press charges against any member of the mob.
1899	During the Boer War, Gandhi volunteered in 1900 to form a group of stretcher-bearers as the Natal Indian Ambulance Corps.
1901	Returned to India. Organized Public services in plaque affected areas of Rajkot
1902	Went to Burma. Started travelling India. Opened an office in Bombay in July. After 3 months again proceeded to South Africa
1903	Established “Transversal British India Association”. Started Publication “Indian Opinion”
1904	Read Gita and Ruskin’s ‘Unto this last’ which led to a revolutionary changes in his life. Established ‘Phoenix’ ashram.
1906	British declared war against the Zulu Kingdom in Natal, Gandhi at age 36, sympathised with the Zulus and encouraged the Indian volunteers to help as an ambulance unit. In September 1906, Gandhi organised the first Satyagraha campaign to protest against the Transvaal Asiatic ordinance that was constituted against the local Indians.
1907	In June 1907, he held Satyagraha against the Black Act.
1908	In 1908, he was sentenced to jail for organising the non-violent movements. But, after his meeting with General Smuts, a British Commonwealth statesman, he was released. However, he was later attacked for this and was again sentenced to jail against which he organised Satyagraha again.
1909	Sentenced to a three-month jail term in Volkshurst and Pretoria. After his release, Gandhi went to England to seek the assistance of the Indian community there as second Indian deputation. Wrote his first letter to Tolstoy. While returning from England wrote “Hind Swaraj” or “Indian Home-rule”.
1910	Gandhi established, with the help of his friend Hermann Kallenbach, an idealistic community they named "Tolstoy Farm" near Johannesburg. There he nurtured his policy of peaceful resistance.
1913	Re-started Satyagrah. Arrested and released. Observed fast.
1914	Successful Satyagrah and proceeded to England

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Life with Struggle for Indian independence

1915	At the request of Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Gandhi returned to India. On 25th May, Sabarmathi Ashram was established
1916	Joined the Indian National Congress and was introduced to Indian issues, politics and the Indian people primarily by Gokhale. First meeting with Jawaharlal Nehru in Lucknow
1917	Started Champaran Satyagrah. The Champaran agitation pitted the local peasantry against their largely British landlords
1918	Started Khera Satyagrah. Kheda was hit by floods and famine and the peasantry was demanding relief from taxes. Using non-co-operation as a technique, Gandhi initiated a signature campaign where peasants pledged non-payment of revenue even under the threat of confiscation of land. Revival of spinning wheel (charkha). In April 1918, during the latter part of World War I, the Viceroy invited Gandhi to a War Conference in Delhi. Gandhi agreed to actively recruit Indians for the war effort
1919	Supported Khilafat movement. Sought political co-operation from Muslims in his fight against British imperialism by supporting the Ottoman Empire that had been defeated in the World War I. It offered evidence of inter-communal (Hindu-Muslim) harmony in joint Rowlatt satyagraha demonstration rallies (Rowlatt act). 30 March 1919, British law officers opened fire on an assembly of unarmed people, peacefully gathered, participating in satyagraha in Delhi. On 6 April 1919, a Hindu festival day, he asked a crowd to remember not to injure or kill British people, but to express their frustration with peace, to boycott British goods and burn any British clothing they owned. On 9 April, Gandhi was arrested. On 13 April 1919, people including women with children gathered in an Amritsar park, and a British officer named Reginald Dyer surrounded them and ordered his troops to fire on them. The resulting Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
1920	Started non-cooperation movement. Gandhi took leadership of the Congress
1922	Revolt of chaurichaura on 5th February. On 10 March 1922, Gandhi was tried for sedition, and sentenced to six years' imprisonment. He began his sentence on 18 March 1922.
1924	Early release from prison for political crimes in 1924,
1928	Protest against The Simon Commission- a group of 7 MPs from Britain who was sent to India in 1928 to study constitutional reforms and make recommendations to the government. Bardoli Satyagrah against the raised tax
1929	Resolution of complete Independence was passed in Lahore Congress Session. On 31 December 1929, the flag of India was unfurled in Lahore.
1930	Gandhi led Congress celebrated 26 January 1930 as India's Independence Day in Lahore. Dandi March, which began on 12th March 1930 and ended on April 6th, 1930. Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha was a non-violent means of protest led by Mahatma Gandhi  which garnered huge public support and worldwide attention. Gandhiji walked from his ashram in Sabarmati in today’s Gujarat to small town of Dandi near coastal Surat to protest against the repressive salt tax imposed by the colonial government. This march covering the distance of roughly 385 km worked as a catalyst for India’s struggle for Independence.
1931	Lord Irwin, decided to negotiate with Gandhi. The Gandhi–Irwin Pact was signed in March 1931. The British Government agreed to free all political prisoners, in return for the suspension of the civil disobedience movement. According to the pact, Gandhi was invited to attend the Round Table Conference in London
1933	Founds the weekly paper Harijan, published in English and Hindi.
1934	Announces decision to retire from politics from October I to engage himself in development of village industries, Harijan service and education through basic crafts
1936	Settles down at Sevagram, a village near Wardha in the Central Provinces, Making it his headquarters.
1942	Appealed British Government to quit India and started Quit India movement. Arrested and interned in Aga Khan’s Palace at Poona.
1944	Kasturba Gandhi dies in Aga Khan’s Palace. Released unconditionally. Carries on talks with M. A. Jinnah regarding Pakistan.
1945	Tours Bengal and Assam
1946	Tours Southern India for anti-untouchability and Hindustani propaganda. Revives Harijan and allied group of weekly journals. Simla Conference session; deliberations prove infructuous. Cabinet Mission plan and discussion. The ‘Great Calcutta Killing’. Leaves for Calcutta. Riots break out in Bihar.
1947	In Bihar, touring riot-affected areas. Declares peace must precede partition, he would not be party to India’s vivisection. Gandhiji writes to Mountbatten, with Pakistan conceded, to persuade Jinna to amicably settle all outstanding points with Congress. ‘Independence of India Bill’ passed. Hails following day as one of rejoicing for deliverance from, British bondage; but deplores Partition. Pakistan is born. Hindu-Muslim fraternization in Calcutta.
1948	Decides to fast for communal peace in Delhi; Mountbatten fails to dissuade Gandhiji. On 20th Jan bomb explodes at prayer meeting. On 30th is assassinated on way to evening prayer.

“Nobody can hurt me without my permission”

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