India: Mohandas Gandhi spinning with charkha wheel c. 1935

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement. He pioneered satyagraha. This is defined as resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, a philosophy firmly founded upon ahimsa, or total non-violence. This concept helped India gain independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.

Gandhi is often referred to as Mahatma Gandhi or 'Great Soul', an honorific first applied to him by Rabindranath Tagore. In India he is also called Bapu (Gujarati: 'Father') and officially honored in India as the Father of the Nation. His birthday, 2 October, is commemorated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday, and worldwide as the International Day of Non-Violence. Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948 by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu Nationalist.

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