Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi was a political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian
independence movement. He has come to be recognized as one of the greatest advocates
of peace and social change through nonviolence. His teaching of Satyagraha --
resisting oppression through nonviolent means such as civil disobedience -- was
the driving force that helped India win its independence from Britain. His methods
and teachings greatly influenced other great leaders like Martin Luther King,
Jr. and were employed in other civil rights and freedom efforts throughout the
world. Throughout his life, Gandhi continued to advocate for nonviolence, alleviating
poverty, empowering women, economic fairness and brotherhood among all religions
and ethnicities. Gandhi is commonly referred to as Mahatma Gandhi, as mahatma
is Sanskrit for "Great Soul". He is officially recognized as the Father
of his nation and his birthday is commemorated as a national holiday. In 2007,
the United Nations declared that his birthday, October 2, should be observed as
the "International Day of Non-Violence."
