Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 500 Words

‘Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. His real name was ‘Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. At 18, Gandhi sailed from Bombay to London, where he attended the University College, London. Gandhi also had the intention of becoming a Barrister, so he enrolled at the Inns of Court School of Law in Inner Temple. In London, Gandhi joined a public speaking group to enhance his communication and English speaking skills.

Civil Rights in South Africa

At the age of 22, Gandhi completed his law degree and left for India. The next year, a Muslim merchant in Katiawar contacted Gandhi, to solve a legal problem in their sipping business in Johannesburg, South Africa. Gandhi spent 23 years of his life in South Africa, where he initially protected the interest of the Muslim merchant and then against skin color discrimination.

Gandhi was not allowed to sit with the European passengers, and if he resisted, he was beaten, kicked into a gutter, and thrown off a running train. Gandhi found this very humiliating and could not understand how people felt honoured by such inhuman practices. In South Africa, Gandhi fought for the voting rights of the Indians and Africans. He helped establish a political organization, the Natal Indian Congress. He prepared a legal brief in 1895 to seek voting rights for Indians. To gain the support of Africans, Gandhi, along with his colleagues, helped the Africans as nurses by opposing racism.

It was in South Africa where Gandhi established his newspaper, named Indian Opinion to share his ideas with the African Indian Community. In 1910, In 1910, he established an idealistic community named Tolstoy Farm near Johannesburg. It was these developments which helped the black South Africans to gain voting rights and Mahatma Gandhi was declared a National Hero.’

Return to India

‘On 9th January 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa. Before his arrival, he already become a nationalist figure. Upon his arrival in India, Gandhi took a nationwide tour, where he witnessed chaos and disorder everywhere. He declared Gopa Krishna Gokhale as his Political Guru.

Mahatma Gandhi started his nationalist moments with the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917, the Kheda Satyagraha and the Ahmedabad Mill Strike in 1918. Then came the Khilafat Movement, where he tried to unite the Hindus and Muslims.

Gandhi, in his book ‘Hind Swaraj’, wrote that the British rule in India was the result of Indian cooperation. He said that if the Indian masses refused to co-operate, the British rule would come to an end and India would become a free and independent nation. Therefore, he launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920. After this movement, India was sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment.

Other important movements by Gandhiji were the Civil Disobedience and the Quit India Movement. Gandhi believed in religious pluralism. It was his and his fellow India’s undying efforts which led to India’s independence on 15th August 1947.’

Conclusion

‘Gandhiji’s ideas of nonviolence, peaceful satyagraha, self-reliance, simple living and religious tolerance earned him fame not only in India but from other countries also. His ideals inspired the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s. His ideals have inspired the whole world to live in peace.’

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the most important freedom fighters who played a major role in India’s freedom struggle. His ideologies of ahimsa and satyagraha brought the Mighty British Empire on its keens, ultimately making India an independent country. His efforts to make India an independent and self-reliant country earned him the title of ‘The Father of Nation’. Every year, we celebrate his birthday on 2nd October as Gandhi Jayanti, where we recall his ideas of ahimsa, women empowerment, satyagraha, etc.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi is a popular academic topic, assigned to students. To score better marks in an essay on Mahatma Gandhi, you must cover all dimensions of his life; his early life, profession, ideals, national movements, etc. On this page, we will provide you with an essay on Mahatma Gandhi in 500 words.