Mahatma Gandhi's Life and Achievements

Study Notes

Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in the coastal town of Porbandar in Gujarat, India.
He attended the Inner Temple in London, where he received his law degree in 1891.
Gandhi moved to South Africa in 1893 to work as a lawyer for an Indian merchant, but was unsuccessful.
In 1915, Gandhi returned to India and began to lead campaigns for social and political reform.
Gandhi became the leader of the Indian National Congress in 1921 and led nationwide protests for independence from British rule.
Gandhi adopted the traditional Indian dress of a dhoti and started living a self-sufficient lifestyle in order to connect with the Indian people.
Gandhi was imprisoned many times and lived in exile for many years.
On August 15, 1947, India became independent and the British Indian Empire was partitioned into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
Gandhi visited the newly independent areas and attempted to ease the distress of the people.
Gandhi undertook several hunger strikes in the months following independence in order to stop religious violence.
The last of these, which began on January 12, 1948, was also an attempt to pressure the Indian government to pay Pakistan some money owed.
Mahatma Gandhi passed away on January 30, 1948.