Before making my own research about this great man I have heard the name Mahatma Gandhi so many times while growing up, but I honestly didn’t know much about him until recently. I decided to do some research about him and what I found really surprised and inspired me. I now understand why he’s such a respected figure in India and all over the world
From my research, I discovered that Mahatma Gandhi’s real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, and he was born in 1869 in a town called Porbandar in Gujarat, India. People started calling him Mahatma, which means “great soul”, because of his unique way of fighting for freedom. He didn’t carry weapons or support violence. Instead, he used peace, love and truth as his tools for resistance
One of the things that really touched me while reading about him was his lifestyle. Despite being highly educated, he studied law in London and lived in South Africa, he chose to live a simple life. He wore plain clothes, mostly hand-woven, and avoided luxury. He wanted to relate with the ordinary people of India and set an example of humility
In my research, I also came across his method of protest, which he called Satyagraha. This simply means “truth-force” or holding onto truth. Instead of fighting with force, Gandhi believed that staying truthful and peaceful could defeat injustice. And surprisingly, it worked. He led many peaceful protests against British rule in India, and one of the most powerful ones was the Salt March in 1930. He and his followers walked over 200 kilometers to make salt from the sea, just to resist the salt tax by the British government. That simple act made global headlines
Gandhi didn’t just fight for independence. From what I learned, he also stood against discrimination, especially the division between Hindus and Muslims. He called the lower caste people Harijans, meaning “children of God,” and always defended their rights. He wanted unity, not just freedom
Unfortunately, he was killed in 1948 by someone who didn’t agree with his views. His death shocked many people, including those who never met him. But even though he died, his words and teachings are still very relevant today
Doing this research opened my eyes to the kind of leader Gandhi was. He didn’t rule by power or money, he led with character. He proved that change can happen without violence. In a world where people still fight over religion, politics, and race, I believe we can still learn so much from his life
Thanks for reading
