Mahatma Gandhi
(1869-1948), Indian political leader and religious and social reformerMohandas Karamchand ('Mahatma') Gandhi
Sitter in 7 portraits
Political leader, activist and religious and social reformer. Born in Porbandar, India, Gandhi left for London in 1888 to study law at University College. His first major job was as a legal advisor in South Africa where he led a campaign against the requirement for people of Indian heritage to carry identity cards. By the time he returned to India in 1915, Gandhi was an international figure. He played a leading role in the formation of the Indian National Congress and campaigned for India's political independence from Britain. His calls for non-violent protests against British rule were embraced by Indians of all classes and religions. In response, the British arrested him for sedition and imprisoned him for two years. In 1948, he was assassinated in Delhi by a Hindu extremist.
More on Mahatma Gandhi The Icons trail: discover the people who shaped the 20th Century
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