Mahatma Gandhi and Indian National MovementMahatma Gandhi and Indian National Movement

Details of Gandhi's formative years in South Africa where he developed the core philosophy of Satyagraha before returning to India in 1915.

• Birth and Early Education: Born on October 2, 1869, at Porbandar, Gujarat. Went to London in 1888 to study law and returned as a barrister in 1891.
• South Africa Period (1893–1914): Went to Natal, South Africa, in 1893 for a legal case. Faced severe racial discrimination (e.g., Pietermaritzburg railway station incident).
• Natal Indian Congress and Journals: Founded Natal Indian Congress in 1894 and established 'Indian Opinion' newspaper in 1903 to voice Indian grievances.
• First Use of Satyagraha: First applied Satyagraha in South Africa against the Asiatic Registration Act (1906) and compulsory poll tax on indentured laborers.
• Return to India (1915): Returned to India on January 9, 1915, on the advice of Gopal Krishna Gokhale, whom Gandhi acknowledged as his political guru.

The transition of the national struggle into mass movements under Gandhi, encompassing the Rowlatt Act, Khilafat, Dandi March, and Round Table Conferences.

• Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: Rowlatt Act (March 1919) allowed detention without trial. Protest led to the brutal Jallianwala Bagh Massacre on April 13, 1919, in Amritsar.
• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22): Approved at Nagpur session (Dec 1920). Involves boycott of foreign goods, schools, and titles. Suspended due to Chauri Chaura violence on Feb 5, 1922.
• Civil Disobedience & Dandi March: Commenced with Dandi March (12 March – 6 April 1930) covering 241 miles with 78 followers to break the salt law.
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931): Signed on March 5, 1931. Congress agreed to suspend Civil Disobedience and participate in the Second Round Table Conference.
• Poona Pact (1932): Signed on September 24, 1932, between B.R. Ambedkar and Madan Mohan Malviya (on behalf of Gandhi) at Yerwada Jail, providing reserved seats for depressed classes.

The final showdown of the freedom struggle through the Quit India Movement and subsequent negotiations leading to India's independence.

• Cripps Mission (1942): Sent under Stafford Cripps to secure Indian cooperation in WWII; offered dominion status post-war, which Gandhi famously called a 'post-dated cheque'.
• Quit India Resolution (1942): Passed at the Bombay session of AICC on August 8, 1942. Gandhi gave the immortal slogan 'Do or Die' (Karo ya Maro).
• Operation Thunderbox / Aruna Asaf Ali: With top leaders arrested overnight, underground networks were led by socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Aruna Asaf Ali.
• Cabinet Mission Plan (1946): Arrived in India to discuss the transfer of power and formulation of the Constitution-making body, proposing a three-tier federal structure.
• Mountbatten Plan and Independence (1947): Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947) outlined the partition of British India into India and Pakistan, culminating in independence on August 15, 1947.

Core philosophical tenets, prominent publications, and residential institutions associated with Mahatma Gandhi's social and political work.

• Key Philosophical Concepts: Satyagraha (Truth-force), Ahimsa (Non-violence), Trusteeship (Wealth held in trust for society), Sarvodaya (Progress for all), and Swadeshi.
• Major Journals and Newspapers: Indian Opinion (1903, South Africa), Young India (1919), Navajivan (1919, Gujarati), and Harijan (1933).
• Major Ashrams Established: Phoenix Settlement (1904) & Tolstoy Farm (1910) in South Africa; Sabarmati Ashram (1915) & Sevagram Ashram (1936) in India.
• Autobiography: Authored 'The Story of My Experiments with Truth' (Satya na Prayogo), originally written in Gujarati and translated by Mahadev Desai.