Mahatma Gandhi (2 October 1869-30 January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India. As such, he came to be considered the father of his country. Gandhi is internationally esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest (satyagraha) to achieve political and social progress.
Mohandas was from the social cast of tradesmen. His mother was illiterate, but her common sense and religious devotion impacted Gandhi's character. As a youngster, Mohandas was a good student, but the shy young boy displayed no signs of leadership. Upon his father's death, Mohandas traveled to England to gain a law degree. He became involved with the Vegetarian Society.
On completing his degree in Law, Gandhi returned to India, where he was soon sent to South Africa to practice law. In South Africa, Gandhi was struck by the level of racial discrimination and injustice often experienced by Indians. In South Africa, Gandhi first experimented with campaigns of civil disobedience and protest; he called his nonviolent protests satyagraha.
After 21 years in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India in 1915. He became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement campaigning for home rule or Swaraj. Gandhi frequently called off strikes and nonviolent protests if he heard people were rioting or violence was involved. After the violence in Salt March, Gandhi called off the independence movement saying that India was not ready.
After those years, Britain indicated that they would give India independence. He worked vigorously to show that Muslims and Hindus could live together peacefully. It could not, and Partition of India occurred.
At the age of 78, Gandhi undertook another fast to try and prevent the sectarian killing. After five days, the leaders agreed to stop killing. But ten days later, Gandhi was shot dead by a Hindu Brahmin opposed to Gandhi's support for Muslims and the Caste system.
The honorific Mahatma (Sanskrit: "great-souled", "venerable"), first applied to him in 1914 in South Africa, is now used throughout the world.