He was born into a Hindu merchant caste family to Karamchand Gandhi, diwan of Porbandar and his fourth wife, Putlibai. Gandhi was born in the princely state of Porbandar, which is located in modern-day Gujarat. This is one of the main reasons why Gandhi is followed by millions, for he proved that one can become a great soul during the course of one’s life, should they possess the will to do so. Gandhi's early life was pretty much ordinary, and he became a great man during the course of his life. Gandhi, apart from helping India triumph in its fight for independence against the English, also led a simple and righteous life, for which he is often revered.

With his unusual yet powerful political tools of Satyagraha and non-violence, he inspired several other political leaders all over the world including the likes of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr and Aung San Suu Kyi. Mahatma Gandhi, as he is most commonly referred to, was instrumental in liberating India from the clutches of the British. Every year, his birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday in India, and also observed as the International Day of Nonviolence. Gandhi is known by different names, such as Mahatma (a great soul), Bapuji (endearment for father in Gujarati) and Father of the Nation. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an eminent freedom activist and an influential political leader who played a dominant role in India's struggle for independence. Professions: Lawyer, politician, activist, writerĬhildren: Harilal Gandhi, Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi and Devdas Gandhi It’s estimated that around 60,000 people were eventually arrested by the British, and Gandhi himself was hauled away while preparing for a non-violent raid on the Dharasana Salt Works in Gujarat.Place of Birth: Porbandar, British India (now Gujarat) The success of the march inspired mass disobedience across the land, with millions of people following Gandhi’s example by breaking the salt laws. Raising a handful of salty mud in his hand, he declared: ‘With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire.’ He calmly and deliberately broke the salt laws by evaporating sea water to make his own salt. The most famous moment would come when they finally reached Dandi. They were inspired by Gandhi’s words – his vocal ‘battle of right against might’ – but also by the sheer spectacle of the march itself, with the river of people stretching back for miles. Not only did villagers come to listen, but they joined the march too. Gandhi knew that recruiting the poor of India to the nationalist cause would be essential to the cherished aim of independence. Gandhi framed it as an issue of class as well as nationalism – a point of unity for all the oppressed masses of India. International journalists and filmmakers covered the march, while thousands of locals would gather at each stopping point to hear Gandhi deliver speeches against the salt laws. The epic walk took them from village to village, where Gandhi’s ever-increasing numbers of fellow marchers could rest each night. It would mean covering around 12 miles a day on foot, with the sprighty, 61-year-old Gandhi an instantly iconic figurehead with his stick and plain white robes. Gandhi and an initial band of followers set out from his ashram in Ahmedabad on 12 March 1930, with the designated end-point being the coastal town of Dandi, over 240 miles away.

The British authorities remained unruffled, with the Viceroy of India writing, ‘At present the prospect of a salt campaign does not keep me awake at night.’ ‘We are entering upon a life and death struggle, a holy war,’ he said. And, while non-violence was always at the heart of Gandhi’s philosophy, he clearly regarded the planned salt march as a kind of military campaign. But for Gandhi, this was a crucial matter, demanding the non-violent resistance he dubbed ‘satyagraha’ (or ‘truth force’).

Ganhi sugar story