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Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on October 2 to mark the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. One of India’s three national holidays, it celebrates one of the leaders of India’s freedom movement against the British.

Fast Facts

Birth date:

October 2, 1869

Death date:

January 30, 1948 (age 78)

Zodiac Sign:

Libra

Background

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. In 1930, he led the Dandi Salt March. Also known as the Salt Satyagraha, the Dandi March was a nonviolent civil disobedience movement. The march lasted from March 12 to April 6 as a campaign against the British salt monopoly. Gandhi left his Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad for Dandi, a village situated on the western coast, with 78 other Ashram members. They marched for about 240 miles. As an act of defiance towards the government, Gandhi picked up a handful of salt that had formed at Dandi by the evaporation of the sea. This was the beginning of a chain of civil disobedience movements across India, which included boycotts of foreign goods, refusal to pay taxes, and more.

On August 9, 1942, during WWII, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement, which demanded the end of British rule in India. It was a ‘do or die’ call for the British to leave. What followed were widespread movements directed at railway stations, government buildings, telegraph offices, and other bodies of British rule. This movement played a crucial role in uniting the Indians against the British.

As a social reformer, Gandhi was instrumental in abolishing the age-old practice of untouchability and racial discrimination. He wanted India to be a secular country and believed in religious pluralism. He also took a stand for women’s rights. His satyagraha deeply influenced personalities from other parts of the world like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

Career timeline

1906 Satyagraha

Gandhi conceives ‘satyagraha’ as a response to a discrimination law passed by the British colonial government against Asians in South Africa.

January 26, 1930 The Declaration

Mahatma Gandhi publishes the Declaration of Independence of India.

August 15, 1947 Freedom

Indian Independence becomes official and, along with it, the partition of India and Pakistan.

January 30, 1948 Death of Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated by a Hindu nationalist, Nathuram Godse.

Why Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday Is Significant

  1. It celebrates the life of the ‘Father of the Nation’

    Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of and pay tribute to the life of Mahatma Gandhi.

  2. It makes us remember and learn from the experiences of Mahatma Gandhi

    On this day, we learn from his way of life and his stellar role in securing India’s freedom through his satyagraha and nonviolent movement.

  3. Gandhi’s birthday marked the beginning of the end of casteism

    Gandhi’s dream for an India without religious differences and casteism paved and still paves the way for a modern India, and even a world, free of discrimination.

5 Facts About Mahatma Gandhi

  1. The Mahatma

    The title of ‘Mahatma’ (Sanskrit for ‘great soul’) was given to him by world-famous Bengali poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

  2. Father of the Nation

    The title of ‘Father of the Nation’ was given to him by world-renowned Indian nationalist and freedom fighter ‘Netaji’ Subhas Chandra Bose.

  3. Letters to Leo

    Mahatma Gandhi and famous author Leo Tolstoy regularly interacted with each other through letters.

  4. Man of the year

    In 1930, he was nominated for “Time” magazine’s Man of the Year.

  5. Numerous Nobel Peace Prizes

    Mahatma Gandhi was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947, and, in January 1948, a few days before his assassination.

Mahatma Gandhi FAQs

Where did Gandhi practice law?

In 1893, Gandhi went to South Africa to practice law.

Why do we celebrate October 2?

Mahatma Gandhi fought for the civil rights of Indians. He was the leader of India’s nonviolent movement against British Rule and also helmed the Civil Disobedience Movement. His life and work are celebrated on October 2.

In which year will we celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi?

Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary was celebrated in 2019. 

Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday dates

Year Date Day
2026 October 2 Friday
2027 October 2 Saturday
2028 October 2 Monday
2029 October 2 Tuesday
2030 October 2 Wednesday

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