Mahatma Gandhi

Satish Aikant (Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University)

Ed. by John Thieme, University of East Anglia
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 10.3.1.02: Indian Writing and Culture of the Colonial Period, 1750-1947.
Vol. editors: Claire Gallien (Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3), Pavan Kumar Malreddy (J W Goethe University of Frankfurt), Delphine Munos (Université de Liège), Nishi Pulugurtha (Brahmananda Keshab Chandra College)

Dates

Born 2 Oct 1869
Died 30 Jan 1948
Activity 1889-1948

Places

Born in India
Active in India; South Africa

Activities

Primary

Autobiographer
Essayist
Reformer

Resources

Gandhi's Works

Save to Bookshelf

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in the coastal town of Porbandar in the Indian state of Gujarat on October 2, 1869 into a Vaishnava Hindu family. His father Karamchand Gandhi was the dewan (Chief Minister) of Porbandar. In 1887 Gandhi passed his matriculation examination of the University of Bombay and entered Samaldas College in Bhavnagar. So that he could follow in the family tradition of holding high office in the state, it was proposed that he study to qualify as a barrister in England. Gandhi agreed to the suggestion, but his mother resisted the idea: for her, going overseas involved corruption of both body and soul. It was only after much persuasion and his taking a vow to abstain from meat, wine and women that Gandhi was allowed, in September 1888, to go to London, where he…

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2299 words

Citation: Aikant, Satish. "Mahatma Gandhi". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 July 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5030, accessed 21 November 2024.]