Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in Porbandar, Gujarat and at the young age of 13 he was married to Kasturba. He went to England (studying in Harrow and Central London) and qualified as a barrister and later set up a practice in South Africa.

His first tastes of injustice and racism planted the seeds that led him to become one of the greatest political leaders of our time. Gandhi was not a mere politician; in fact he never held any office. He was politically active from when he led the Indians in South Africa (1893 - 1915) up to his assassination on 30th January 1948. He was the force behind ejecting the British out of India, yet he was against partition. On Independence Day in 15 August 1947, he did not celebrate, but spent the day fasting and in prayer.

Gandhi was a determined fighter, nothing that contained injustice stood in his way. He fought against a rigid caste system, child marriages, for women's rights. He set up Ashrams all over India and wrote volumes on politics, diet, health, social reform and God.

The fundamental principles behind his political and spiritual drive were the principles of Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satyagraha (truth). Gandhi was a deeply religious man and was seen by thousands as a living Saint, he was titled 'Mahatma', Great Soul. During his life he sought to gain full control of the senses by practising self-restraint; he adopted his lifestyle accordingly and became celibate (Brahmacharya) and was a vegetarian. He fasted regularly and later held regular prayer meetings.

Gandhi died a powerful man, politically and spiritually, yet he died without possessions and wealth. He believed in resistance, but his resistance was never passive. In his autobiography, Gandhi maintained that his life was his message.

http://web.mahatma.org.in