by Trina Dova

Created on: April 28, 2010

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born, in India in 1869, as the son of a politician, but he died, in 1948, as the Father of the free and independent nation of India. Gandhi was born into a political and religious family. During his lifetime he sought education, status, financial security and ultimately truth. In the process of his life's journey, he found the real purpose of his life, fighting for the rights of Indians and ultimately for humanity.

His journey began in India, as child and student. At age 18, he traveled to England to study law. Afterwards, he traveled to South Africa to practice with an Indian law firm. It is in South Africa that his eyes were opened to the injustices toward Indians by the British. After many gains in South Africa he returned to India only to find that, there too, Indians were being exploited by the British. He continued his fight and moved the entire nation to action. What really moved the nation, however, was that, in the face of violence and exploitation, his response was always non-violence, peace, and kindness toward the abuser.  He ultimately helped India to obtain her independence. Although Gandhi advocated peace and non-violence, his life ended with three shots to the chest by a Hindu fanatic.

At age 18, five years after his father died and five years after he married his wife Kasturba, a family friend, hoping that Gandhi would “take his father's place in the state service” (5000 Words, 1987), suggested that he become a lawyer. The degree could be attained in three years, in London. At age 18 and after, according to 5000 Words (1987), being officially excommunicated from his Hindu cast for traveling via boat overseas, he traveled to London to study for his Law Degree.  In England he began to study the holy books of many religions including Hindu, Muslim and Christian. These books and their teachings influenced the future way he would live his life like meditation, celibacy, fasting, poverty, peace in the face of violence, and kindness toward his oppressors. Three years later, after retaining his vegetarianism, studying world religions and exploring life, he passed the bar and returned to India.

After unsuccessfully trying a law practice in Bombay, Gandhi took a job representing a client in South Africa, where Indians had settled within a British colony. Shortly after arriving, he found that Indians were treated as sub-citizens, outcasts and undesirables with restricted rights and segregation. He was,

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