essay on great leader mahatma gandhi

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi – Contributions and Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi

500+ words essay on mahatma gandhi.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi – Mahatma Gandhi was a great patriotic Indian, if not the greatest. He was a man of an unbelievably great personality. He certainly does not need anyone like me praising him. Furthermore, his efforts for Indian independence are unparalleled. Most noteworthy, there would have been a significant delay in independence without him. Consequently, the British because of his pressure left India in 1947. In this essay on Mahatma Gandhi, we will see his contribution and legacy.

Contributions of Mahatma Gandhi

First of all, Mahatma Gandhi was a notable public figure. His role in social and political reform was instrumental. Above all, he rid the society of these social evils. Hence, many oppressed people felt great relief because of his efforts. Gandhi became a famous international figure because of these efforts. Furthermore, he became the topic of discussion in many international media outlets.

Mahatma Gandhi made significant contributions to environmental sustainability. Most noteworthy, he said that each person should consume according to his needs. The main question that he raised was “How much should a person consume?”. Gandhi certainly put forward this question.

Furthermore, this model of sustainability by Gandhi holds huge relevance in current India. This is because currently, India has a very high population . There has been the promotion of renewable energy and small-scale irrigation systems. This was due to Gandhiji’s campaigns against excessive industrial development.

Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence is probably his most important contribution. This philosophy of non-violence is known as Ahimsa. Most noteworthy, Gandhiji’s aim was to seek independence without violence. He decided to quit the Non-cooperation movement after the Chauri-Chaura incident . This was due to the violence at the Chauri Chaura incident. Consequently, many became upset at this decision. However, Gandhi was relentless in his philosophy of Ahimsa.

Secularism is yet another contribution of Gandhi. His belief was that no religion should have a monopoly on the truth. Mahatma Gandhi certainly encouraged friendship between different religions.

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Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi has influenced many international leaders around the world. His struggle certainly became an inspiration for leaders. Such leaders are Martin Luther King Jr., James Beve, and James Lawson. Furthermore, Gandhi influenced Nelson Mandela for his freedom struggle. Also, Lanza del Vasto came to India to live with Gandhi.

The awards given to Mahatma Gandhi are too many to discuss. Probably only a few nations remain which have not awarded Mahatma Gandhi.

In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi was one of the greatest political icons ever. Most noteworthy, Indians revere by describing him as the “father of the nation”. His name will certainly remain immortal for all generations.

Essay Topics on Famous Leaders

• Mahatma Gandhi
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• Abraham Lincoln
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FAQs on Mahatma Gandhi

Q.1 Why Mahatma Gandhi decided to stop Non-cooperation movement?

A.1 Mahatma Gandhi decided to stop the Non-cooperation movement. This was due to the infamous Chauri-Chaura incident. There was significant violence at this incident. Furthermore, Gandhiji was strictly against any kind of violence.

Q.2 Name any two leaders influenced by Mahatma Gandhi?

A.2 Two leaders influenced by Mahatma Gandhi are Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela.

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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi [100, 150, 200, 300, 500 Words]

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English: In this article, you are going to read short and long essays on Mahatma Gandhi in English (100, 150, 200-250, 300, and 500 words). This article will be also helpful for you If you are looking for a speech on Mahatma Gandhi or Paragraph on Mahatma Gandhi in English. We’ve written this article for students of all classes (nursery to class 12). So, let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 100 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the greatest leaders of our country. He was born in Porbandar, India, on October 2, 1869. His father Karamchand Gandhi was the Dewan and his mother Putlibai was a pious lady. Gandhiji went to England to become a barrister. In 1893 he went to South Africa and worked for the rights of our people.

He returned to India in 1915 and joined the freedom struggle. He started many political movements like Non-cooperation movement, Salt Satyagraha, Quit India Movement to fight against the British. Gandhiji worked for the ending of the caste system and the establishment of Hindu-Muslim unity. He was killed by Nathuram Godse On January 30, 1948.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay in English 150 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader. His full name was Mohandas and Gandhi. He was born on October 2, 1869 at Porbandar. His father was a Diwan. He was an average student. He went to England and returned as a barrister.

In South Africa, Gandhiji saw the bad condition of the Indians. There he raised his voice against it and organised a movement.

In India, he started the non-cooperation and Satyagraha movements to fight against the British Government. He went to jail many times. He wanted Hindu-Muslim unity. In 1947, he got freedom for us.

Gandhiji was a great social reformer. He worked for Dalits and lower-class people. He lived a very simple life. He wanted peace. He believed in Ahimsa.

On January 30, 1948, he was shot dead. We call him ‘Bapu’ out of love and respect. He is the Father of the Nation.

Also Read: 10 Lines on Mahatma Gandhi

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi 200-250 Words

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, freedom activist, and politician. Gandhiji was born on October 2, 1869 at Porbandar, Gujarat. His father Karamchand Gandhi was the Chief Minister (diwan) of Porbandar state. His mother Putlibai was a religious woman.

He went to England to study law at the age of 18 years. After his return to India, he started a practice as a lawyer in the Bombay High Court. He went to South Africa and started practicing law. There he protested against the injustice and harsh treatment of the white people towards the native Africans and Indians.

He returned to India in 1915 and started to take interest in politics. Mahatma Gandhi used the ideals of truth and non-violence as weapons to fight against British colonial rule. He worked for the upliftment of Harijans. He fought against untouchability and worked for Hindu-Muslim unity.

Through his freedom movements like Non-cooperation movement, Khilafat movement, and civil disobedience movement he fought for freedom against the British imperialists. 1942, he launched the Quit India movement to end the British rule. At last, India got freedom in 1947 at his initiative.

People affectionately call him ‘Bapu’ and the ‘Father of the Nation’. He was shot dead in 1948 by the Hindu fanatic Nathuram Godse.  Gandhiji’s life is a true inspiration for all of us.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay in English 300 Words

Mahatma Gandhi was born at Porbandar in Gujarat on 2nd October, 1869. His father was the Diwan of the State. His name was Karam Chand Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi’s full name was Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi. His mother’s name was Putali Bai. Mahatma Gandhi went to school first at Porbandar then at Rajkot. Even as a child, Mahatma never told a lie. He passed his Matric examination at the age of 18.

Mohan Das was married to Kasturba at the age of thirteen. Mahatma Gandhi was sent to England to study law and became a Barrister. He lived a very simple life even in England. After getting his law degree, he returned to India.

Mr. Gandhi started his law practice. He went to South Africa in the course of a law suit. He saw the condition of the Indians living there. They were treated very badly by the white men. They were not allowed to travel in 1st class on the trains, also not allowed to enter certain localities, clubs, and so on. Once when Gandhiji was travelling in the 1st class compartment of the train, he was beaten and thrown out of the train. Then Mahatma decided to unite all Indians and started the Non-violence and Satyagrah Movement. In no time, the Movement picked up.

Mahatma Gandhi returned to India and joined Indian National Congress. He started the Non-violence, Non-cooperation Movements here also. He travelled all over India, especially the rural India to see the conditions of the poor.

Mahatma Gandhi started Satyagrah Movement to oppose the Rowlatt Act and there was the shoot-out at Jalian-Wala-Bagh. The Act was drawn after many people were killed. He then started the Salt Satyagraha and Quit India Movements. And finally, Gandhiji won freedom for us. India became free on 15th August, 1947. He is called as “Father of the Nation”. Unfortunately, Gandhiji was shot on 30 January 1948 by a Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse.

Also Read: Gandhi Jayanti Speech 10 Lines

Mahatma Gandhi Essay in English 500 Words

Introduction:.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi was a politician, social activist, writer, and leader of the Indian national movement. He is a figure known all over the world. His name is a household word in India, rather, in all the world round. His creed of non-violence has placed him on the same par with Buddha, Sri Chaitanya, and Jesus Christ.

Family & Education:

Mahatma Gandhi was born in the small town of Porbandar in the Kathiwad state on October 2, 1869. His father Karamchand Gandhi was the prime minister of Rajkot State and his mother Putlibai was a pious lady. Her influence shaped the future life of Mahatma Gandhi.

He was sent to school at a very early age, but he was not a very bright student. After his Matriculation Examination, he went to England to study law and returned home as a barrister. He began to practice law in Bombay but he was not very successful.

Life in South Africa:

In 1893 Gandhiji went to South Africa in connection with a case. He found his own countrymen treated with contempt by the whites. Gandhiji started satyagraha against this color hated. It was a non-violent protest, yet hundreds were beaten up and thousands were sent to jail. But Gandhiji did not buzz an inch from his faith in truth and non-violence and at last, he succeeded in his mission. He was awarded the title of Mahatma.

Fight for India’s Independence:

In 1915 Gandhiji came back to India after twenty long years in South Africa. He joined the Indian National congress and championed the cause of India’s freedom movement. He asked people to unite for the cause of freedom. He used the weapons of truth and non-violence to fight against the mighty British.

The horrible massacre at Jalianwalabag in Punjab touched him and he resolved to face the brute force of the British Government with moral force. In 1920 he launched the Non-cooperation movement to oppose British rule in India.

He led the famous Dandi March on 12th March 1930. This march was meant to break the salt law. And as a result of this, the British rule in India had already started shaking and he had to go to London for a Round Table Conference in 1931. But this Conference proved abortive and the country was about to give a death blow to the foreign rule.

In 1942 Gandhiji launched his final bout for freedom. He started the ‘Quit India’ movement. At last, the British Government had to quit India in 1947, and India was declared a free country on August 15, 1947.

Social Works:

Mahatma Gandhi was a social activist who fought against the evils of society. He found the Satyagraha Ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati river in Gujarat. He preached against untouchability and worked for Hindu-Muslim unity. He fought tirelessly for the rights of Harijans.

Conclusion:

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation was a generous, god-loving, and peace-loving person. But unfortunately, he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse on 30th January 1948 at the age of 78. To commemorate Gandhiji’s birth anniversary Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated every year on October 2. Gandhiji’s teachings and ideologies will continue to enlighten and encourage us in the future.

Read More: 1. Essay on Swami Vivekananda 2. Essay on Subhash Chandra Bose 3. Essay on Mother Teresa 4. Essay on APJ Abdul Kalam 5. Essay on Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

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• Mahatma Gandhi Essay

Important Essay on Mahatma Gandhi for Students in English

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, often called the 'Father of the Nation' , was a leader who fought for India's freedom from British rule. He believed in non-violence. Every year on October 2nd, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti to honor his efforts in freeing India.

English Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Rabindranath Tagore was the first to call Gandhiji 'Mahatma,' which means 'Great Soul' in Sanskrit. His wise ideas and beliefs led people to respect and call him 'Mahatma Gandhi.' His dedication to the country and efforts to turn his ideas into reality make Indians around the world very proud of him .

According to Mahatma Gandhi’s biography, he was born on October 2, 1869 , in Porbandar, a coastal town in the present-day Indian state of Gujarat. He grew up in a Hindu family and ate basic vegetarian meals. His dad, Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi, was an important leader in Porbandar State. In South Africa, he was the first to lead a peaceful protest movement, setting him apart from other demonstrators. Mahatma Gandhi also introduced the idea of Satyagraha, a nonviolent approach to opposing unfairness. He devoted 20 years of his life to battling discrimination in South Africa.

His idea of 'Ahimsa,' which means not hurting anyone, was widely admired and followed by many influential people worldwide. He became an indomitable figure who couldn't be defeated in any situation. Mahatma Gandhi initiated the 'Khadi Movement' to encourage the use of fabrics like khadi or jute. This movement was a crucial part of the larger 'Non-co-operation Movement,' which advocated for Indian goods and discouraged foreign ones. Gandhi strongly supported agriculture and encouraged people to engage in farming. He inspired Indians to embrace manual labor and emphasized self-reliance, urging them to provide for their needs and lead simple lives. He began weaving cotton clothes using the Charkha to reduce dependence on foreign goods and promote Swadeshi products among Indians.

During the fight for India's freedom, Gandhiji faced imprisonment several times along with his followers, but his main goal was always the freedom of his motherland. Even when he was in prison, he never chose the path of violence.

Mahatma Gandhi made significant contributions to various social issues. His efforts against 'untouchability' while he was in Yerwada Jail, where he went on a hunger strike against this ancient social evil, greatly helped uplift the oppressed community in modern times. He also emphasized the importance of education, cleanliness, health, and equality in society.

These qualities defined him as a person with a great soul and justified his transformation from Gandhi to Mahatma. He led many freedom movements, including the "Quit India Movement," which was highly successful. His death was a huge loss to the forces of peace and democracy, leaving a significant void in the nation's life.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a prominent Indian nationalist leader, significantly influenced Mahatma Gandhi's political ideology and leadership approach. Gandhi considered him his political teacher.

Mahatma Gandhi played a crucial role in India's fight for freedom from British rule. His life was dedicated to serving his country and its people, and he became an international symbol of Indian leadership. Even today, he continues to inspire and motivate young people worldwide with his values and principles.

Gandhi Ji was known for his strong sense of discipline. He emphasized the importance of self-discipline in achieving significant goals, a principle he applied in promoting his philosophy of Ahimsa (non-violence). Through his own life, he demonstrated that rigorous discipline can lead to the realization of any objective, provided we remain committed and dedicated. These qualities established him as a revered and respected leader whose influence extends far beyond his lifetime. His ideals continue to resonate not only in India but also around the world.

FAQs on Mahatma Gandhi Essay

1. What were the different movements that Gandhi started in order to bring Independence to India?

In order to bring freedom, Gandhi started the Satyagraha movement in 1919, the non-cooperation movement in 1921, and Civil Disobedience movement in 1930 and Quit India movement in 1942.

2. Who killed Mahatma Gandhi?

A young man named Nathuram Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi when he was going to attend an evening prayer meeting.

3. Why is Gandhi known as the ‘Father of the Nation’?

Mahatma Gandhi is known as the ‘Father of the Nation’ because he laid the true foundation of independent India with his noble ideals and supreme sacrifice.

4. How do we commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution for our Nation?

His birthday on 2 nd October is celebrated as a National Holiday across the nation in order to commemorate his great contributions and sacrifices for the country’s independence.

5. What are the things we should learn from Mahatma Gandhi? 

There are various things one can learn from Gandhiji. The principles that he followed and preached his entire generation and for generations to come are commendable. He believed in ‘Ahimsa’ and taught people how any war in the world can be won through non-violence. To simply state one can learn the following principles from Gandhiji - 

Nonviolence, 

Respect for elders,

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Mahatma Gandhi

By: History.com Editors

Updated: June 6, 2019 | Original: July 30, 2010

Revered the world over for his nonviolent philosophy of passive resistance, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was known to his many followers as Mahatma, or “the great-souled one.” He began his activism as an Indian immigrant in South Africa in the early 1900s, and in the years following World War I became the leading figure in India’s struggle to gain independence from Great Britain. Known for his ascetic lifestyle–he often dressed only in a loincloth and shawl–and devout Hindu faith, Gandhi was imprisoned several times during his pursuit of non-cooperation, and undertook a number of hunger strikes to protest the oppression of India’s poorest classes, among other injustices. After Partition in 1947, he continued to work toward peace between Hindus and Muslims. Gandhi was shot to death in Delhi in January 1948 by a Hindu fundamentalist.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, at Porbandar, in the present-day Indian state of Gujarat. His father was the dewan (chief minister) of Porbandar; his deeply religious mother was a devoted practitioner of Vaishnavism (worship of the Hindu god Vishnu), influenced by Jainism, an ascetic religion governed by tenets of self-discipline and nonviolence. At the age of 19, Mohandas left home to study law in London at the Inner Temple, one of the city’s four law colleges. Upon returning to India in mid-1891, he set up a law practice in Bombay, but met with little success. He soon accepted a position with an Indian firm that sent him to its office in South Africa. Along with his wife, Kasturbai, and their children, Gandhi remained in South Africa for nearly 20 years.

Did you know? In the famous Salt March of April-May 1930, thousands of Indians followed Gandhi from Ahmadabad to the Arabian Sea. The march resulted in the arrest of nearly 60,000 people, including Gandhi himself.

Gandhi was appalled by the discrimination he experienced as an Indian immigrant in South Africa. When a European magistrate in Durban asked him to take off his turban, he refused and left the courtroom. On a train voyage to Pretoria, he was thrown out of a first-class railway compartment and beaten up by a white stagecoach driver after refusing to give up his seat for a European passenger. That train journey served as a turning point for Gandhi, and he soon began developing and teaching the concept of satyagraha (“truth and firmness”), or passive resistance, as a way of non-cooperation with authorities.

The Birth of Passive Resistance

In 1906, after the Transvaal government passed an ordinance regarding the registration of its Indian population, Gandhi led a campaign of civil disobedience that would last for the next eight years. During its final phase in 1913, hundreds of Indians living in South Africa, including women, went to jail, and thousands of striking Indian miners were imprisoned, flogged and even shot. Finally, under pressure from the British and Indian governments, the government of South Africa accepted a compromise negotiated by Gandhi and General Jan Christian Smuts, which included important concessions such as the recognition of Indian marriages and the abolition of the existing poll tax for Indians.

In July 1914, Gandhi left South Africa to return to India. He supported the British war effort in World War I but remained critical of colonial authorities for measures he felt were unjust. In 1919, Gandhi launched an organized campaign of passive resistance in response to Parliament’s passage of the Rowlatt Acts, which gave colonial authorities emergency powers to suppress subversive activities. He backed off after violence broke out–including the massacre by British-led soldiers of some 400 Indians attending a meeting at Amritsar–but only temporarily, and by 1920 he was the most visible figure in the movement for Indian independence.

Leader of a Movement

As part of his nonviolent non-cooperation campaign for home rule, Gandhi stressed the importance of economic independence for India. He particularly advocated the manufacture of khaddar, or homespun cloth, in order to replace imported textiles from Britain. Gandhi’s eloquence and embrace of an ascetic lifestyle based on prayer, fasting and meditation earned him the reverence of his followers, who called him Mahatma (Sanskrit for “the great-souled one”). Invested with all the authority of the Indian National Congress (INC or Congress Party), Gandhi turned the independence movement into a massive organization, leading boycotts of British manufacturers and institutions representing British influence in India, including legislatures and schools.

After sporadic violence broke out, Gandhi announced the end of the resistance movement, to the dismay of his followers. British authorities arrested Gandhi in March 1922 and tried him for sedition; he was sentenced to six years in prison but was released in 1924 after undergoing an operation for appendicitis. He refrained from active participation in politics for the next several years, but in 1930 launched a new civil disobedience campaign against the colonial government’s tax on salt, which greatly affected Indian’s poorest citizens.

A Divided Movement

In 1931, after British authorities made some concessions, Gandhi again called off the resistance movement and agreed to represent the Congress Party at the Round Table Conference in London. Meanwhile, some of his party colleagues–particularly Mohammed Ali Jinnah, a leading voice for India’s Muslim minority–grew frustrated with Gandhi’s methods, and what they saw as a lack of concrete gains. Arrested upon his return by a newly aggressive colonial government, Gandhi began a series of hunger strikes in protest of the treatment of India’s so-called “untouchables” (the poorer classes), whom he renamed Harijans, or “children of God.” The fasting caused an uproar among his followers and resulted in swift reforms by the Hindu community and the government.

In 1934, Gandhi announced his retirement from politics in, as well as his resignation from the Congress Party, in order to concentrate his efforts on working within rural communities. Drawn back into the political fray by the outbreak of World War II , Gandhi again took control of the INC, demanding a British withdrawal from India in return for Indian cooperation with the war effort. Instead, British forces imprisoned the entire Congress leadership, bringing Anglo-Indian relations to a new low point.

Partition and Death of Gandhi

After the Labor Party took power in Britain in 1947, negotiations over Indian home rule began between the British, the Congress Party and the Muslim League (now led by Jinnah). Later that year, Britain granted India its independence but split the country into two dominions: India and Pakistan. Gandhi strongly opposed Partition, but he agreed to it in hopes that after independence Hindus and Muslims could achieve peace internally. Amid the massive riots that followed Partition, Gandhi urged Hindus and Muslims to live peacefully together, and undertook a hunger strike until riots in Calcutta ceased.

In January 1948, Gandhi carried out yet another fast, this time to bring about peace in the city of Delhi. On January 30, 12 days after that fast ended, Gandhi was on his way to an evening prayer meeting in Delhi when he was shot to death by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic enraged by Mahatma’s efforts to negotiate with Jinnah and other Muslims. The next day, roughly 1 million people followed the procession as Gandhi’s body was carried in state through the streets of the city and cremated on the banks of the holy Jumna River.

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Mahatma gandhi at 150: lessons on leadership.

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Today, October 2, marks the 150 th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi.  Around the world, Gandhi’s legacy of non-violence and as the father of India’s Independence Movement is being commemorated and analyzed for relevance in our increasingly turbulent times.  Gandhi became the role model for the most successful political movement leaders of the 20th century – from Martin Luther King to Lech Walesa, Cesar Chavez and Nelson Mandela.

Had he come of age today, Gandhi might have branded himself as a “social entrepreneur”.  In reality, few social entrepreneurs have achieved anywhere near the scale of impact that Gandhi was able to.  But the comparison is apt, as Gandhi was never a head of state or government, but instead, the head of a private organization - the Indian National Congress, that, along with its many partners, mobilized an incredibly diverse and complex peoples into a united movement against British imperialism.  He led first and foremost by understanding the diversity of India and its people – economically, culturally, religiously, and deeply integrating that diversity into the Independence movement.  He further integrated himself into the movement by dedicating his life to the cause, living as much among the people as possible, and actually risking death many times for the cause.  While there may never be another Gandhi, there is no reason that today’s committed social entrepreneurs can’t embrace their own version of Gandhi’s personal and political leadership commitment.

Arguably, Gandhi’s greatest leadership trait was his ability to visualize the qualities of a successful, post-Independence Indian nation, and maintain a life-long focus on the four intertwined challenges that he believed must be collectively addressed for India to achieve success as a nation.  The four challenges, or goals, as articulated by Ramchandra Guha in his book,  “ Gandhi, The Years That Changed The World ”; were: to free India from British occupation, to end untouchability, to improve relations between Hindus and Muslims, and to make India into a self-reliant nation – economically and socially.   Gandhi aligned most of the social movements he led around these four goals - starting with his work in South Africa and continuing until his death.  He believed firmly that without addressing all four challenges simultaneously, India could not acquire independence and become a successful nation.   Without communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims, or between upper caste and lower caste Hindu’s, for example, Gandhi did not believe India would ever achieve its potential.

A second element of Gandhi’s leadership was his lifelong commitment to achieving that intertwined vision of a successful Indian nation.  Starting in the 1890’s with his work in South Africa until his death in 1948, Gandhi wrote, mobilized and preached about the same goals of freedom, inclusion, harmony, diversity and empowerment.  Today, few of the most committed social entrepreneurs have the energy to stay engaged on the same set of issues for 50-60 years.  Dr. Muhammad Yunus of the Grameen Bank has been one, very notable exception.

Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s most well-known, and most-studied, leadership trait was his willingness to live like the majority of Indians that he sought to help, and his exhortation that all Indians “be the change they wish to see in this world”.    It seems obvious, but in a day and age when NGO leaders are in Davos, London and New York as much as they are in the villages, and when NGO salaries remain a hot topic, Gandhi’s ability to live comfortably among villagers and the urban poor – to be the change he wished to see, brought him the credibility, trust and intellectual understanding needed to lead India’s independence movement.  While today’s social entrepreneurs also have compelling visions for change, they are often unable to separate themselves from the global elite to which they have historically belonged.  And fairly or unfairly, many for-profit entrepreneurs and social enterprises are perceived as seeking to profit off the backs of the world’s poor, and never gain credibility, even when their primary objective and motivation is to improve the human condition.

Gandhi’s least studied leadership trait was his ability to use the fast as a social and political weapon.  Over the course of his life time, Gandhi fasted 14 times for social, religious or political purposes – a skill he mastered through personal practice.  He would fast for personal penance and to build his own capacity for sacrifice, ahimsa and brahmacharya.

Today in business and entrepreneurship, we often talk about core competency and disruptive innovation.  Entrepreneurs are told to develop a product or service that is difficult to compete against - technically complex, different from the past and very difficult to replicate by others.

Gandhi’s ability to fast for social change was his core competency.  It took him many years to train his body and mind to function without food, and only later did he use the fast as a political weapon.  No one else could do it and there was no answer for it – from anyone.  The British never had an effective response, nor did angry Indian communal rioters.  In each case, Gandhi’s fasts brought capitulation to his wishes, because anything was a more acceptable solution than to allow Gandhi’s death.   It was a great innovation in social movements that, except for Cesar Chavez’s fasts for farm workers in California, has never been remotely replicated.

The elements of Gandhi’s leadership model remain relevant today.  Whether a leader is seeking to end sexual discrimination, eradicate HIV/AIDS or legislate a jobs program, they will need their own version of Gandhi’s leadership model - re-imagined in their own vision.   In the age of the #MeToo movement, for example, leaders for gender equality and an end to sexual harassment must attack the intertwined issues of religion, family structure, sexism, and the transformation of labor markets.  Similarly, to eradicate the HIV virus will require new drugs and vaccines, but will also transformation in the health care system, cultural norms around sexuality, building rural health delivery programs and many other things.  These will take a life time to achieve and require leaders with great credibility and trust amongst the communities they are seeking to help and change.  Gandhi was able to maintain the support of India’s upper caste Hindu’s and industrialists while maintaining the trust of the rural and poor.

What’s missing today is the 2019 version of the fast.  We have major global crises in areas like climate change and forced migration, but no leaders who have yet found tools, like Gandhi’s fast-till-death, to push public opinion and government leaders to action.  Our greatest commemoration of Gandhi’s life may be to find the tools that lead to large-scale change non-violently, but forcibly in the same manner that he did so effectively.

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Mahatma Gandhi

Date of Birth: October 2, 1869

Place of Birth: Porbandar, British India (now Gujarat)

Date of Death: January 30, 1948

Place of Death: Delhi, India

Cause of Death: Assassination

Professions: Lawyer, politician, activist, writer

Spouse : Kasturba Gandhi

Children: Harilal Gandhi, Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi and Devdas Gandhi

Father: Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi

Mother: Putlibai Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an eminent freedom activist and an influential political leader who played a dominant role in India's struggle for independence. Gandhi is known by different names, such as Mahatma (a great soul), Bapuji (endearment for father in Gujarati) and Father of the Nation. Every year, his birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday in India, and also observed as the International Day of Nonviolence. Mahatma Gandhi, as he is most commonly referred to, was instrumental in liberating India from the clutches of the British. With his unusual yet powerful political tools of Satyagraha and non-violence, he inspired several other political leaders all over the world including the likes of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr and Aung San Suu Kyi. Gandhi, apart from helping India triumph in its fight for independence against the English, also led a simple and righteous life, for which he is often revered. Gandhi's early life was pretty much ordinary, and he became a great man during the course of his life. This is one of the main reasons why Gandhi is followed by millions, for he proved that one can become a great soul during the course of one’s life, should they possess the will to do so. 

M. K. Gandhi was born in the princely state of Porbandar, which is located in modern-day Gujarat. He was born into a Hindu merchant caste family to Karamchand Gandhi, diwan of Porbandar and his fourth wife, Putlibai. Gandhi’s mother belonged to an affluent Pranami Vaishnava family. As a child, Gandhi was a very naughty and mischievous kid. In fact, his sister Raliat had once revealed that hurting dogs by twisting their ears was among Maohandas’ favorite pastime. During the course of his childhood, Gandhi befriended Sheikh Mehtab, who was introduced to him by his older brother. Gandhi, who was raised by a vegetarian family, started eating meat. It is also said that a young Gandhi accompanied Sheikh to a brothel, but left the place after finding it uncomfortable. Gandhi, along with one of his relatives, also cultivated the habit of smoking after watching his uncle smoke. After smoking the leftover cigarettes, thrown away by his uncle, Gandhi started stealing copper coins from his servants in order to buy Indian cigarettes. When he could no longer steal, he even decided to commit suicide such was Gandhi’s addiction to cigarettes. At the age of fifteen, after stealing a bit of gold from his friend Sheikh’s armlet, Gandhi felt remorseful and confessed to his father about his stealing habit and vowed to him that he would never commit such mistakes again.

In his early years, Gandhi was deeply influenced by the stories of Shravana and Harishchandra that reflected the importance of truth. Through these stories and from his personal experiences, he realized that truth and love are among the supreme values. Mohandas married Kasturba Makhanji at the age of 13. Gandhi later went on to reveal that the marriage didn’t mean anything to him at that age and that he was happy and excited only about wearing new set of clothes. But then as days passed by, his feelings for her turned lustful, which he later confessed with regret in his autobiography. Gandhi had also confessed that he could no more concentrate in school because of his mind wavering towards his new and young wife.

After his family moved to Rajkot, a nine year old Gandhi was enrolled at a local school, where he studied the basics of arithmetic, history, geography and languages. When he was 11 years old, he attended a high school in Rajkot. He lost an academic year in between because of his wedding but later rejoined the school and eventually completed his schooling. He then dropped out of Samaldas College in Bhavnagar State after joining it in the year 1888. Later Gandhi was advised by a family friend Mavji Dave Joshiji to pursue law in London. Excited by the idea, Gandhi managed to convince his mother and wife by vowing before them that he would abstain from eating meat and from having sex in London. Supported by his brother, Gandhi left to London and attended the Inner Temple and practiced law. During his stay in London, Gandhi joined a Vegetarian Society and was soon introduced to Bhagavad Gita by some of his vegetarian friends. The contents of Bhagavad Gita would later have a massive influence on his life. He came back to India after being called to the bar by Inner Temple.

Gandhi in South Africa

After returning to India, Gandhi struggled to find work as a lawyer. In 1893, Dada Abdullah, a merchant who owned a shipping business in South Africa asked if he would be interested to serve as his cousin’s lawyer in South Africa. Gandhi gladly accepted the offer and left to South Africa, which would serve as a turning point in his political career. 

In South Africa, he faced racial discrimination directed towards blacks and Indians. He faced humiliation on many occasions but made up his mind to fight for his rights. This turned him into an activist and he took upon him many cases that would benefit the Indians and other minorities living in South Africa. Indians were not allowed to vote or walk on footpaths as those privileges were limited strictly to the Europeans. Gandhi questioned this unfair treatment and eventually managed to establish an organization named ‘Natal Indian Congress’ in 1894. After he came across an ancient Indian literature known as ‘Tirukkural’, which was originally written in Tamil and later translated into many languages, Gandhi was influenced by the idea of Satyagraha (devotion to the truth) and implemented non-violent protests around 1906. After spending 21 years in South Africa, where he fought for civil rights, he had transformed into a new person and he returned to India in 1915. 

Gandhi and the Indian National Congress

After his long stay in South Africa and his activism against the racist policy of the British, Gandhi had earned the reputation as a nationalist, theorist and organiser. Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, invited Gandhi to join India’s struggle for independence against the British Rule. Gokhale thoroughly guided Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi about the prevailing political situation in India and also the social issues of the time. He then joined the Indian National Congress and before taking over the leadership in 1920, headed many agitations which he named Satyagraha.

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Champaran Satyagraha

The Champaran agitation in 1917 was the first major success of Gandhi after his arrival in India. The peasants of the area were forced by the British landlords to grow Indigo, which was a cash crop, but its demand had been declining. To make the matters worse, they were forced to sell their crops to the planters at a fixed price. The farmers turned to Gandhiji for help. Pursuing a strategy of nonviolent agitation, Gandhi took the administration by surprise and was successful in getting concessions from the authorities. This campaign marked Gandhi’s arrival in India!

Kheda Satyagraha

Farmers asked the British to relax the payment of taxes as Kheda was hit by floods in 1918. When the British failed to pay heed to the requests, Gandhi took the case of the farmers and led the protests. He instructed them to refrain from paying revenues no matter what. Later, the British gave in and accepted to relax the revenue collection and gave its word to Vallabhbhai Patel, who had represented the farmers.  

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Khilafat Movement Post World War I

Gandhi had agreed to support the British during their fight in World War I. But the British failed to grant independence post the war, as promised earlier, and as a result of this Khilafat Movement was launched. Gandhi realized that Hindus and Muslims must unite to fight the British and urged both the communities to show solidarity and unity. But his move was questioned by many Hindu leaders. Despite the opposition from many leaders, Gandhi managed to amass the support of Muslims. But as the Khilafat Movement ended abruptly, all his efforts evaporated into thin air.

Non-cooperation Movement and Gandhi

Non-cooperation Movement was one of Gandhi’s most important movements against the British. Gandhi’s urged his fellow countrymen to stop co-operation with the British. He believed that the British succeeded in India only because of the co-operation of the Indians. He had cautioned the British not to pass the Rowlatt Act, but they did not pay any attention to his words and passed the Act. As announced, Gandhiji asked everyone to start civil disobedience against the British. The British began suppressing the civil disobedience movement by force and opened fire on a peaceful crowd in Delhi. The British asked Gandhiji to not enter Delhi which he defied as a result of which he was arrested and this further enraged people and they rioted. He urged people to show unity, non-violence and respect for human life. But the British responded aggressively to this and arrested many protesters. 

On 13 April 1919, a British officer, Dyer, ordered his forces to open fire on a peaceful gathering, including women and children, in Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh. As a result of this, hundreds of innocent Hindu and Sikh civilians were killed. The incident is known as ‘Jallianwala Bagh Massacre’. But Gandhi criticized the protesters instead of blaming the English and asked Indians to use love while dealing with the hatred of British. He urged the Indians to refrain from all kinds of non-violence and went on fast-to-death to pressure Indians to stop their rioting.  

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The concept of non-cooperation became very popular and started spreading through the length and breadth of India. Gandhi extended this movement and focused on Swaraj. He urged people to stop using British goods. He also asked people to resign from government employment, quit studying in British institutions and stop practicing in law courts. However, the violent clash in Chauri Chaura town of Uttar Pradesh, in February 1922, forced Gandhiji to call-off the movement all of a sudden. Gandhi was arrested on 10th March 1922 and was tried for sedition. He was sentenced to six years imprisonment, but served only two years in prison. 

Simon Commission & Salt Satyagraha (Dandi March)

During the period of 1920s, Mahatma Gandhi concentrated on resolving the wedge between the Swaraj Party and the Indian National Congress. In 1927, British had appointed Sir John Simon as the head of a new constitutional reform commission, popularly known as ‘Simon Commission’. There was not even a single Indian in the commission. Agitated by this, Gandhi passed a resolution at the Calcutta Congress in December 1928, calling on the British government to grant India dominion status. In case of non-compliance with this demand, the British were to face a new campaign of non-violence, having its goal as complete independence for the country. The resolution was rejected by the British. The flag of India was unfurled by the Indian national Congress on 31st December 1929 at its Lahore session. January 26, 1930 was celebrated as the Independence Day of India. 

But the British failed to recognize it and soon they levied a tax on salt and Salt Satyagraha was launched in March 1930, as an opposition to this move. Gandhi started the Dandi March with his followers in March, going from Ahmedabad to Dandi on foot. The protest was successful and resulted in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact in March 1931.

Negotiations over Round Table Conferences

Post the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Gandhi was invited to round table conferences by the British. While Gandhi pressed for the Indian independence, British questioned Gandhi’s motives and asked him not to speak for the entire nation. They invited many religious leaders and B. R. Ambedkar to represent the untouchables. The British promised many rights to various religious groups as well as the untouchables. Fearing this move would divide India further, Gandhi protested against this by fasting. After learning about the true intentions of the British during the second conference, he came up with another Satyagraha, for which he was once again arrested.

Quit India Movement

As the World War II progressed, Mahatma Gandhi intensified his protests for the complete independence of India. He drafted a resolution calling for the British to Quit India. The 'Quit India Movement' or the 'Bharat Chhodo Andolan' was the most aggressive movement launched by the Indian national Congrees under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was arrested on 9th August 1942 and was held for two years in the Aga Khan Palace in Pune, where he lost his secretary, Mahadev Desai and his wife, Kasturba. The Quit India Movement came to an end by the end of 1943, when the British gave hints that complete power would be transferred to the people of India. Gandhi called off the movement which resulted in the release of 100,000 political prisoners. 

Freedom and Partition of India

The independence cum partition proposal offered by the British Cabinet Mission in 1946 was accepted by the Congress, despite being advised otherwise by Mahatma Gandhi. Sardar Patel convinced Gandhi that it was the only way to avoid civil war and he reluctantly gave his consent. After India's independence, Gandhi focused on peace and unity of Hindus and Muslims. He launched his last fast-unto-death in Delhi, and asked people to stop communal violence and emphasized that the payment of Rs. 55 crores, as per the Partition Council agreement, be made to Pakistan. Ultimately, all political leaders conceded to his wishes and he broke his fast. 

Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi

The inspiring life of Mahatma Gandhi came to an end on 30th January 1948, when he was shot by a fanatic, Nathuram Godse, at point-blank range. Nathuram was a Hindu radical, who held Gandhi responsible for weakening India by ensuring the partition payment to Pakistan. Godse and his co-conspirator, Narayan Apte, were later tried and convicted. They were executed on 15th November 1949. 

Mahatma Gandhi’s Legacy

Mahatma Gandhi proposed the acceptance and practice of truth, peace, non-violence, vegetarianism, Brahmacharya (celibacy), simplicity and faith in God. Though he would be remembered forever for his great contribution to the Indian freedom movement, his greatest legacies are the tools of peace and non-iolence that he preached and used in India's struggle for freedom against the British. He was for peace and non-violence all over the world, as he truly believed that only these virtues can save the mankind. Mahatma Gandhi once wrote a letter to Hitler , before the World War II, pleading him to avoid war. These methods inspired several other world leaders in their struggle against injustice. His statues are installed all over the world and he is considered the most prominent personality in Indian history.

Gandhi in Popular Culture

The word Mahatma is often mistaken in the West as Gandhi’s first name. His extraordinary life inspired innumerable works of art in the field of literature, art and showbiz. Many movies and documentaries have been made on the life of the Mahatma. Post the Independence, Gandhi’s image became the mainstay of Indian paper currency. 

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For the next three years, Gandhi seemed to hover uncertainly on the periphery of Indian politics, declining to join any political agitation, supporting the British war effort, and even recruiting soldiers for the British Indian Army. At the same time, he did not flinch from criticizing the British officials for any acts of high-handedness or from taking up the grievances of the long-suffering peasantry in Bihar and Gujarat . By February 1919, however, the British had insisted on pushing through—in the teeth of fierce Indian opposition—the Rowlatt Acts , which empowered the authorities to imprison without trial those suspected of sedition . A provoked Gandhi finally revealed a sense of estrangement from the British raj and announced a satyagraha struggle. The result was a virtual political earthquake that shook the subcontinent in the spring of 1919. The violent outbreaks that followed—notably the Massacre of Amritsar , which was the killing by British-led soldiers of nearly 400 Indians who were gathered in an open space in Amritsar in the Punjab region (now in Punjab state), and the enactment of martial law—prompted him to stay his hand. However, within a year he was again in a militant mood, having in the meantime been irrevocably alienated by British insensitiveness to Indian feeling on the Punjab tragedy and Muslim resentment on the peace terms offered to Turkey following World War I .

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By the autumn of 1920, Gandhi was the dominant figure on the political stage, commanding an influence never before attained by any political leader in India or perhaps in any other country . He refashioned the 35-year-old Indian National Congress (Congress Party) into an effective political instrument of Indian nationalism: from a three-day Christmas-week picnic of the upper middle class in one of the principal cities of India, it became a mass organization with its roots in small towns and villages. Gandhi’s message was simple: it was not British guns but imperfections of Indians themselves that kept their country in bondage. His program, the nonviolent noncooperation movement against the British government, included boycotts not only of British manufactures but of institutions operated or aided by the British in India: legislatures, courts, offices, schools. The campaign electrified the country, broke the spell of fear of foreign rule, and led to the arrests of thousands of satyagrahi s, who defied laws and cheerfully lined up for prison. In February 1922 the movement seemed to be on the crest of a rising wave, but, alarmed by a violent outbreak in Chauri Chaura , a remote village in eastern India, Gandhi decided to call off mass civil disobedience . That was a blow to many of his followers, who feared that his self-imposed restraints and scruples would reduce the nationalist struggle to pious futility. Gandhi himself was arrested on March 10, 1922, tried for sedition, and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. He was released in February 1924, after undergoing surgery for appendicitis . The political landscape had changed in his absence. The Congress Party had split into two factions, one under Chitta Ranjan Das and Motilal Nehru (the father of Jawaharlal Nehru , India’s first prime minister) favoring the entry of the party into legislatures and the other under Chakravarti Rajagopalachari and Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel opposing it. Worst of all, the unity between Hindus and Muslims of the heyday of the noncooperation movement of 1920–22 had dissolved. Gandhi tried to draw the warring communities out of their suspicion and fanaticism by reasoning and persuasion. Finally, after a serious outbreak of communal unrest, he undertook a three-week fast in the autumn of 1924 to arouse the people into following the path of nonviolence. In December 1924 he was named president of the Congress Party, and he served for a year.

During the mid-1920s Gandhi took little interest in active politics and was considered a spent force. In 1927, however, the British government appointed a constitutional reform commission under Sir John Simon , a prominent English lawyer and politician, that did not contain a single Indian. When the Congress and other parties boycotted the commission, the political tempo rose. At the Congress session (meeting) at Calcutta in December 1928, Gandhi put forth the crucial resolution demanding dominion status from the British government within a year under threat of a nationwide nonviolent campaign for complete independence. Henceforth, Gandhi was back as the leading voice of the Congress Party. In March 1930 he launched the Salt March , a satyagraha against the British-imposed tax on salt, which affected the poorest section of the community . One of the most spectacular and successful campaigns in Gandhi’s nonviolent war against the British raj, it resulted in the imprisonment of more than 60,000 people. A year later, after talks with the viceroy , Lord Irwin (later Lord Halifax ), Gandhi accepted a truce (the Gandhi-Irwin Pact ), called off civil disobedience, and agreed to attend the Round Table Conference in London as the sole representative of the Indian National Congress.

The conference, which concentrated on the problem of the Indian minorities rather than on the transfer of power from the British, was a great disappointment to the Indian nationalists. Moreover, when Gandhi returned to India in December 1931, he found his party facing an all-out offensive from Lord Irwin’s successor as viceroy, Lord Willingdon, who unleashed the sternest repression in the history of the nationalist movement. Gandhi was once more imprisoned, and the government tried to insulate him from the outside world and to destroy his influence. That was not an easy task. Gandhi soon regained the initiative . In September 1932, while still a prisoner, he embarked on a fast to protest against the British government’s decision to segregate the so-called “ untouchables ” (the lowest level of the Indian caste system; now called Scheduled Castes [official] or Dalits ) by allotting them separate electorates in the new constitution. The fast produced an emotional upheaval in the country, and an alternative electoral arrangement was jointly and speedily devised by the leaders of the Hindu community and the Dalits and endorsed by the British government. The fast became the starting point of a vigorous campaign for the removal of the disenfranchisement of the Dalits, whom Gandhi referred to as Harijans, or “children of God.”

In 1934 Gandhi resigned not only as the leader but also as a member of the Congress Party. He had come to believe that its leading members had adopted nonviolence as a political expedient and not as the fundamental creed it was for him. In place of political activity he then concentrated on his “constructive programme” of building the nation “from the bottom up”—educating rural India, which accounted for 85 percent of the population; continuing his fight against untouchability; promoting hand spinning, weaving , and other cottage industries to supplement the earnings of the underemployed peasantry; and evolving a system of education best suited to the needs of the people. Gandhi himself went to live at Sevagram , a village in central India, which became the center of his program of social and economic uplift.

With the outbreak of World War II , the nationalist struggle in India entered its last crucial phase. Gandhi hated fascism and all it stood for, but he also hated war. The Indian National Congress, on the other hand, was not committed to pacifism and was prepared to support the British war effort if Indian self-government was assured. Once more Gandhi became politically active. The failure of the mission of Sir Stafford Cripps , a British cabinet minister who went to India in March 1942 with an offer that Gandhi found unacceptable, the British equivocation on the transfer of power to Indian hands, and the encouragement given by high British officials to conservative and communal forces promoting discord between Muslims and Hindus impelled Gandhi to demand in the summer of 1942 an immediate British withdrawal from India—what became known as the Quit India Movement.

In mid-1942 the war against the Axis powers , particularly Japan , was in a critical phase, and the British reacted sharply to the campaign. They imprisoned the entire Congress leadership and set out to crush the party once and for all. There were violent outbreaks that were sternly suppressed, and the gulf between Britain and India became wider than ever before. Gandhi, his wife, and several other top party leaders (including Nehru) were confined in the Aga Khan Palace (now the Gandhi National Memorial) in Poona (now Pune ). Kasturba died there in early 1944, shortly before Gandhi and the others were released.

A new chapter in Indo-British relations opened with the victory of the Labour Party in Britain 1945. During the next two years, there were prolonged triangular negotiations between leaders of the Congress, the Muslim League under Mohammed Ali Jinnah , and the British government, culminating in the Mountbatten Plan of June 3, 1947, and the formation of the two new dominions of India and Pakistan in mid-August 1947.

It was one of the greatest disappointments of Gandhi’s life that Indian freedom was realized without Indian unity. Muslim separatism had received a great boost while Gandhi and his colleagues were in jail, and in 1946–47, as the final constitutional arrangements were being negotiated, the outbreak of communal riots between Hindus and Muslims unhappily created a climate in which Gandhi’s appeals to reason and justice , tolerance and trust had little chance. When partition of the subcontinent was accepted—against his advice—he threw himself heart and soul into the task of healing the scars of the communal conflict, toured the riot-torn areas in Bengal and Bihar, admonished the bigots , consoled the victims, and tried to rehabilitate the refugees. In the atmosphere of that period, surcharged with suspicion and hatred, that was a difficult and heartbreaking task. Gandhi was blamed by partisans of both the communities. When persuasion failed, he went on a fast. He won at least two spectacular triumphs: in September 1947 his fasting stopped the rioting in Calcutta, and in January 1948 he shamed the city of Delhi into a communal truce. A few days later, on January 30, while he was on his way to his evening prayer meeting in Delhi, he was shot down by Nathuram Godse, a young Hindu fanatic .

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English for Children and Students

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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English: Mahatma Gandhi was an influential political leader in India who is best known for leading the country’s nonviolent resistance movement against British colonialism. After studying law in England, Gandhi returned to India and became a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress. He advocated for India’s independence from British rule and promoted a philosophy of non-violent resistance. Gandhi was arrested numerous times by the British authorities, but he continued to lead protests and campaigns against British rule. In 1947, India finally achieved independence, and Gandhi played a key role in the country’s transition to democracy. He was assassinated in 1948 by a Hindu extremist.

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Below, we have provided simple essays on Mahatma Gandhi , a person who would always live in the heart of the Indian people. Every kid and child of India knows him by the name of Bapu, or Father of the Nation. Using the following Mahatma Gandhi essay, you can help your kids, and school-going children perform better in school during any competition or exam.

Long and Short Essay on Mahatma Gandhi in English

Below are short and long essays on Mahatma Gandhi in English for your information and knowledge.

The essays have been written in simple yet effective English so that you can quickly grasp and present the information whenever needed.

After going through these Mahatma Gandhi essays, you will learn about the life and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, what role he played in the freedom struggle, and why is he the most respected leader in the world over; how his birthday is celebrated, etc.

The information given in the essays will be helpful in speech giving, essay writing, or speech-providing competition on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.

Also Read: Independence Day Speech for Students

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 1 (100 words)

Mahatma Gandhi is famous in India as “Bapu” or “Rastrapita.” His full name of him is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was a great freedom fighter who led India as a leader of nationalism against British rule. He was born on the 2 nd of October in 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat, India.

He died on the 30 th of January in 1948. M.K. Gandhi was assassinated by the Hindu activist Nathuram Godse, who was hanged later as a punishment by the government of India. Rabindranath Tagore has given him another name, “Martyr of the Nation,” since 1948.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 2 (150 words)

Mahatma Gandhi is called Mahatma because of his great works and greatness throughout his life. He was a great freedom fighter and non-violent activist who always followed non-violence throughout his life while leading India to independence from British rule.

He was born on the 2 nd of October 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat, India. He was just 18 years old while studying law in England. Later he went to the British colony of South Africa to practice his law, where he got differentiated from the light skin people because of being a dark skin person. That’s why he decided to become a political activist to make some positive changes in such unfair laws.

Later he returned to India and started a powerful and non-violent movement to make India an independent country. He was the one who led the Salt March (Namak Satyagrah or Salt Satyagrah or Dandi March) in 1930. He inspired many Indians to work against British rule for their independence.

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Mahatma Gandhi Essay 3 (200 words)

Mahatma Gandhi was an outstanding personality in India who still inspires the people in the country and abroad through his legacy of greatness, idealness, and dignified life. Bapu was born in a Hindu family in Porbandar, Gujarat, India, on the 2 nd of October in 1869. The 2 nd of October was the great day for India when Bapu took birth. He paid an incredible and unforgettable role in the independence of India from British rule. The full name of the Bapu is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He went to England for his law study just after passing his matriculation examination. Later he returned to India as a lawyer in 1890.

After he arrived in India, he started helping Indian people facing various problems from British rule. He started a Satyagraha movement against the British government to help Indians. Other significant movements initiated by the Bapu for the independence of India are the Non-cooperation movement in 1920, the Civil Dis the obedience movement in 1930, and the Quit India movement in 1942. All the movements had shaken the British rule in India and inspired many everyday Indian citizens to fight for freedom.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 4 (250 words)

Bapu, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born 1869 on the 2 nd of October at Porbander in Gujarat, India. Mahatma Gandhi was a great Indian who led India in the independence movement against British rule. He completed his schooling in India and went to England for further study of law. He returned to India as a lawyer and started practicing law. He started helping the people of India who were humiliated and insulted by British rule.

He started the non-violence independence movement to fight against the injustice of Britishers. He was insulted many times but continued his non-violent struggle for the Independence of India. After his return to India, he joined Indian National Congress as a member. He was the great leader of the Indian independence movement who struggled a lot for the freedom of India. As a member of the Indian National Congress, he started independence movements like Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and later Quit India Movement, which became successful a day and helped India get freedom.

As a great freedom fighter, he got arrested and sent to jail many times, but he continued fighting against British rule for the justice of Indians. He was a great believer in non-violence and unity of people of all religions, which he followed through his struggle for independence. After many battles with many Indians, he finally became successful in making India an independent country on the 15 th of August in 1947. Later he was assassinated in 1948 on the 30 th of January by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu activist.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 5 (300 words)

Mahatma Gandhi was a great freedom fighter who spent his whole life in a struggle for the independence of India. He was born in an Indian Hindu family on the 2 nd of October in 1869 in Porbander, Gujarat. He lived his whole as a leader of the Indian people. His whole life story is a great inspiration for us. He is called the Bapu or Rashtrapita as he spent his life fighting against British rule for our freedom of us. While fighting with Britishers, he took the help of his great weapons like non-violence and Satyagraha movements to achieve independence. He was arrested and sent to jail many times but never discouraged himself and continued fighting for national freedom.

He is the birth father of our nation who used all his power to make us free from British rule. He understood the power of unity in people (from different castes, religions, communities, races, ages, or gender), which he used throughout his independence movement. Finally, he forced Britishers to quit India forever through his mass movements on the 15 th of August in 1947. Since 1947, India’s 15th of August has been celebrated as Independence Day th of August has been celebrated as Independence Day in India.

He could not continue his life after the independence of India in 1947 as he was assassinated by one of the Hindu activists, Nathuram Godse, in 1948 on the 30 th of January. He was a great personality who served his whole life till death for the motherland. He enlightened our life with the true light of freedom from British rule. He proved that everything is possible with the non-violence and unity of people. Even after dying many years ago, he is still alive in the heart of every Indian as a “Father of the Nation and Bapu.”

Mahatma Gandhi Essay 6 (400 words)

Mahatma Gandhi is well known as the “Father of the Nation or Bapu” because of his most significant contributions toward our country’s independence. He was the one who believed in the non-violence and unity of the people and brought spirituality to Indian politics. He worked hard the remove the untouchability in the Indian society , upliftment of the backward classes in India, raised his voice to develop villages for social development, and inspired Indian people to use swadeshi goods and other social issues. He brought familiar people in front to participate in the national movement and encouraged them to fight for their actual freedom.

He was one of the persons who converted people’s dream of independence into truth day through his noble ideals and supreme sacrifices. He is remembered for his wondrous works and primary virtues such as non-violence, truth, love, and fraternity. He was not born as excellent, but he made himself great through his hard struggles and work. The life of King Harischandra highly influenced him from the play titled Raja Harischandra. After schooling, he completed his law degree in England and began his career as a lawyer. He faced many difficulties in his life but continued walking as a great leader.

He started many mass movements like the Non-cooperation movement in 1920, the civil disobedience movement in 1930, and finally the Quit India Movement in 1942, throughout the way to independence of India. After many struggles and work, the British Government finally granted independence to India. He was a straightforward person who worked to remove the color barrier and caste barrier. He also worked hard to remove the untouchability in the Indian society and named untouchables as “Harijan” means the people of God.

He was a great social reformer and Indian freedom fighter who died a day after completing his aim of life. He inspired Indian people for the manual labour and said that arrange all the resource ownself for living a simple life and becoming self-dependent. He started weaving cotton clothes through the use of Charakha in order to avoid the use of videshi goods and promote the use of Swadeshi goods among Indians.

He was a strong supporter of the agriculture and motivated people to do agriculture works. He was a spiritual man who brought spirituality to the Indian politics. He died in 1948 on 30 th of January and his body was cremated at Raj Ghat, New Delhi. 30 th of January is celebrated every year as the Martyr Day in India in order to pay homage to him.

Essay on Non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi – Essay 7 (800 Words)

Introduction

Non-violence or ‘ahimsa’ is a practice of not hurting anyone intentionally or unintentionally. It is the practice professed by great saints like Gautam Buddha and Mahaveer. Mahatma Gandhi was one of the pioneer personalities to practice non-violence. He used non-violence as a weapon to fight the armed forces of the British Empire and helped us to get independence without lifting a single weapon.

Role of Non-violence in Indian Freedom Struggle

The role of non-violence in the Indian freedom struggle became prominent after the involvement of Mahatma Gandhi. There were many violent freedom struggles going on concurrently in the country and the importance of these cannot be neglected either. There were many sacrifices made by our freedom fighters battling against the British rule. But non-violence was a protest which was done in a very peaceful manner and was a great way to demand for the complete independence. Mahatma Gandhi used non-violence in every movement against British rule. The most important non-violence movements of Mahatma Gandhi which helped to shake the foundation of the British government are as follows.

• Champaran and Kheda Agitations

In 1917 the farmers of Champaran were forced by the Britishers to grow indigo and again sell them at very cheap fixed prices. Mahatma Gandhi organized a non-violent protest against this practice and Britishers were forced to accept the demand of the farmers.

Kheda village was hit by floods in 1918 and created a major famine in the region. The Britishers were not ready to provide any concessions or relief in the taxes. Gandhiji organized a non-cooperation movement and led peaceful protests against the British administration for many months. Ultimately the administration was forced to provide relief in taxes and temporarily suspended the collection of revenue.

• Non-cooperation Movement

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the harsh British policies lead to the Non-cooperation movement in 1920. It was the non-violence protest against the British rule. Gandhiji believed that the main reason of the Britishers flourishing in India is the support they are getting from Indians. He pleaded to boycott the use of British products and promoted the use of ‘Swadeshi’ products. Indians denied working for the Britishers and withdrew themselves from the British schools, civil services, government jobs etc. People started resigning from the prominent posts which highly affected the British administration. The Non-Cooperation movement shook the foundation of the British rule and all these without a single use of any weapon. The power of non-violence was more evident in the non-cooperation movement.

• Salt Satyagrah or Salt March

Salt March or the ‘Namak Satyagrah’ was the non-violence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi against the salt monopoly of the Britishers. Britishers imposed a heavy taxation on the salt produce which affected the local salt production. Gandhiji started the 26 days non-violence march to Dandi village, Gujarat protesting against the salt monopoly of the British government. The Dandi march was started on 12 th March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram and ended on 06 th April 1930 at Dandi, breaking the salt laws of the British government and starting the local production of salt. The Salt March was a non violent movement which got the international attention and which helped to concrete the foundation of Independent India.

• Quit India Movement

After the successful movement of the Salt March, the foundation of British government shook completely. Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 th August 1942 which demanded the Britishers to quit India. It was the time of World War II when Britain was already in war with Germany and the Quit India Movement acted as a fuel in the fire. There was a mass non-violent civil disobedience launched across the country and Indians also demanded their separation from World War II. The effect of Quit India Movement was so intense that British government agreed to provide complete independence to India once the war gets over. The Quit India Movement was a final nail in the coffin of the British rule in India.

These movements led by Mahatma Gandhi were completely Non-violent and did not use any weapon. The power of truth and non-violence were the weapons used to fight the British rule. The effect of non-violence was so intense that it gained the immediate attention of the international community towards the Indian independence struggle. It helped to reveal the harsh policies and acts of the British rule to the international audience.

Mahatma Gandhi always believed that weapons are not the only answer for any problem; in fact they created more problems than they solved. It is a tool which spreads hatred, fear and anger. Non-violence is one of the best methods by which we can fight with much powerful enemies, without holding a single weapon. Apart from the independence struggle; there are many incidents of modern times which exhibited the importance of non-violence and how it helped in bringing changes in the society and all that without spilling a single drop of blood. Hope the day is not very far when there will be no violence and every conflict and dispute will be solved through peaceful dialogues without harming anyone and shedding blood and this would be a greatest tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

Long Essay on Mahatma Gandhi – Essay 8 (1100 Words)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi aka ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ was one of the great sons of Indian soil who rose to become a great soul and gave major contribution in the great Indian freedom struggle against the British rule in India. He was a man of ideologies and a man with great patience and courage. His non-violence movements involved peaceful protests and non-cooperation with the British rule. These movements had a long term effects on the Britishers and it also helped India to grab the eye balls of global leaders and attracted the attention on the international platforms.

Family and Life of Mahatma Gandhi

• Birth and Childhood

Mahatma Gandhi was born as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on 02 nd October, 1869 at Porbandar (which is in the current state of Gujarat). His father Karamchand Gandhi was working as the Chief Minister (diwan) of Porbandar at that time. His mother Putlibai was a very devotional and generous lady. Young Gandhi was a reflection of his mother and inherited high values, ethics and the feeling of sacrifice from her.

• Marriage and Education

Mohandas was married to Kasturba Makanji at a very young age of 13. In 1888, they were blessed with a baby boy and after which he sailed to London for higher studies. In 1893, he went to South Africa to continue his practice of law where he faced strong racial discrimination by the Britishers. The major incident which completely changed the young Gandhi was when he was forcibly removed from the first class compartment of a train due to his race and color.

• Civil Rights Movement in Africa

After the discrimination and embracement faced by Gandhi due to his race and color, he vowed to fight and challenge the racial discrimination of immigrants in South Africa. He formed Natal Indian Congress in 1894 and started fighting against racial discrimination. He fought for the civil rights of the immigrants in South Africa and spent around 21 years there.

• Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian Freedom Struggle

Gandhi returned to India in 1915 and joined Indian National Congress and started to raise voice against the British rule in India and demanded the complete independence or ‘Purn Swaraj’ for India. He started many non-violent movements and protests against Britishers and was also imprisoned various times in his long quest of freedom. His campaigns were completely non-violent without the involvement of any force or weapons. His ideology of ‘ahimsa’ meaning not to injure anyone was highly appreciated and was also followed by many great personalities around the globe.

Why was Gandhi called Mahatma?

‘Mahatma’ is a Sanskrit word which means ‘great soul’. It is said that it was Rabindranth Tagore who first used ‘Mahatma’ for Gandhi. It was because of the great thoughts and ideologies of Gandhi which made people honour him by calling ‘Mahatma Gandhi’. The great feeling of sacrifice, love and help he showed throughout his life was a matter of great respect for each citizen of India.

Mahatma Gandhi showed a lifelong compassion towards the people affected with leprosy. He used to nurse the wounds of people with leprosy and take proper care of them. In the times when people used to ignore and discriminate people with leprosy, the humanitarian compassion of Gandhi towards them made him a person with great feelings and a person with great soul justifying himself as Mahatma.

Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution on various social issues could never be ignored. His campaign against untouchability during his imprisonment in the Yerwada Jail where he went on fast against the age old evil of untouchability in the society had highly helped the upliftment of the community in the modern era. Apart from this, he also advocated the importance of education, cleanliness, health and equality in the society. All these qualities made him a man with great soul and justify his journey from Gandhi to Mahatma.

What are Gandhi’s accomplishments?

Mahatma Gandhi was a man with mission who not only fought for the country’s independence but also gave his valuable contribution in uprooting various evils of the society. The accomplishments of Mahatma Gandhi is summarized below:

• Fought against Racial Discrimination in South Africa

The racial discrimination in South Africa shocked Mahatma Gandhi and he vowed to fight against it. He challenged the law which denied the voting rights of the people not belonging to the European region. He continued to fight for the civil rights of the immigrants in South Africa and became a prominent face of a civil right activist.

• Face of the Indian Freedom Struggle

Mahatma Gandhi was the liberal face of independence struggle. He challenged the British rule in India through his peaceful and non-violent protests. The Champaran Satyagrah, Civil Disobedience Movement, Salt March, Quit India Movement etc are just the few non-violent movements led by him which shook the foundation of the Britishers in India and grabbed the attention of the global audience to the Indian freedom struggle.

• Uprooting the Evils of Society

Gandhi Ji also worked on uprooting various social evils in the society which prevailed at that time. He launched many campaigns to provide equal rights to the untouchables and improve their status in the society. He also worked on the women empowerment, education and opposed child marriage which had a long term effect on the Indian society.

What was Gandhi famous for?

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the great personalities of India. He was a man with simplicity and great ideologies. His non-violent way to fight a much powerful enemy without the use of a weapon or shedding a single drop of blood surprised the whole world. His patience, courage and disciplined life made him popular and attracted people from every corners of the world.

He was the man who majorly contributed in the independence of India from the British rule. He devoted his whole life for the country and its people. He was the face of the Indian leadership on international platform. He was the man with ethics, values and discipline which inspires the young generation around the globe even in the modern era.

Gandhi Ji was also famous for his strict discipline. He always professed the importance of self discipline in life. He believed that it helps to achieve bigger goals and the graces of ahimsa could only be achieved through hard discipline.

These qualities of the great leader made him famous not only in India but also across the world and inspired global personalities like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King.

Mahatma Gandhi helped India to fulfill her dream of achieving ‘Purna Swaraj’ or complete independence and gave the country a global recognition. Though he left this world on 30 th January, 1948, but his ideologies and thoughts still prevail in the minds of his followers and act as a guiding light to lead their lives. He proved that everything is possible in the world if you have a strong will, courage and determination.

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FAQs on Mahatma Gandhi

Who is Mahatma Gandhi?

Mahatma Gandhi was an influential political leader in India who is best known for leading the country's non-violent resistance movement against British colonialism.

Write Mahatma Gandhi essay in english?

Mahatma Gandhi was a man with mission who not only fought for the country’s independence but also gave his valuable contribution in uprooting various evils of the society.

When is Gandhi Jayanti?

The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti. It is on 2nd October.

Who was Kasturba?

Kasturba was Gandhi's wife. He was married to Kasturba at a very young age of 13.

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Essay on My Favourite Leader Mahatma Gandhi

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Favourite Leader Mahatma Gandhi in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on My Favourite Leader Mahatma Gandhi

Introduction.

Mahatma Gandhi, also known as ‘Bapu’, is my favourite leader. Born in Porbandar, Gujarat, he played a crucial role in India’s fight for independence.

Gandhi’s Principles

Gandhi led India to independence using peaceful methods, setting a unique example of leadership. His simplicity and humility made him a loved leader.

Gandhi’s teachings continue to guide us. He showed that peaceful means can bring about great changes, making him a timeless leader.

250 Words Essay on My Favourite Leader Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s philosophy.

Gandhi’s philosophy was rooted in the principle of ‘Satyagraha’, a form of nonviolent resistance. For him, truth was God and non-violence was the means to seek it. He demonstrated that peaceful protests could yield powerful results, a lesson that resonates even in today’s turbulent times.

Leadership Style

Gandhi’s leadership style was unique. He led by example, living a simple life, and practicing what he preached. His ability to empathize with the common man, his insistence on equality and justice, and his commitment to his principles made him a leader par excellence.

Gandhi and Independence

Gandhi played a crucial role in India’s struggle for independence. His non-violent protests, including the Dandi March and the Quit India Movement, shook the foundations of the British Empire. His strategies were instrumental in galvanizing the masses towards a common goal of freedom.

Mahatma Gandhi’s life and teachings continue to inspire and guide us. His leadership transcends time and geography, making him a universally respected figure. His belief in peace, truth, and non-violence is more relevant today than ever before. In an era of increasing violence and intolerance, Gandhi’s teachings offer a beacon of hope. He remains my favourite leader, a symbol of courage, conviction, and compassion.

500 Words Essay on My Favourite Leader Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi, a name that resonates with peace and non-violence, is my favourite leader. His life and teachings have inspired millions worldwide. Born as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2, 1869, he later came to be known as ‘Mahatma’, meaning ‘great soul’. His principles of truth and non-violence have become a beacon of hope and peace, not only for India but for the entire world.

Early Life and Education

Struggle for indian independence.

Gandhi’s involvement in the Indian struggle for independence began when he returned to India from South Africa, where he had fought against racial discrimination. He employed his philosophy of Satyagraha, or non-violent resistance, as a powerful tool against the British rule. His non-violent civil disobedience, including the Salt March and Quit India Movement, shook the foundations of the British Empire and played a significant role in India’s fight for independence.

The Doctrine of Non-Violence

One of the most defining aspects of Gandhi’s life was his unwavering commitment to non-violence. He believed that violence merely perpetuates more violence, a cycle that can only be broken through peaceful means. His philosophy of non-violence, or Ahimsa, was not just about abstaining from physical violence, but also from harboring violent thoughts. He believed that the path to real freedom lay in winning over the hearts of the oppressors through love and patience.

Gandhi’s legacy extends far beyond the borders of India. His principles have influenced numerous civil rights movements worldwide, including the American Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. His life and teachings continue to inspire and guide people in their fight against injustice and oppression.

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Home — Essay Samples — History — Mahatma Gandhi — Mahatma Gandhi And His Leadership Style

Mahatma Gandhi and His Leadership Style

• Categories: Leadership Styles Mahatma Gandhi

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Published: Mar 18, 2021

Words: 794 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

• C.Maxwell, J. (n.d.). 10 Leadership Quotes. Retrieved May 8, 2019, from www.success.com: https://www.success.com/10-powerful-quotes-on-leadership/
• History.com.Editors. (2010, July 30). Mahatma Gandhi. Retrieved May 8, 2019, from HISTORY: https://www.history.com/topics/india/mahatma-gandhi
• Mishra, P. (2017, September 22). Gandhi Jayanti.Retrieved May 8, 2019, from www.mapsofindia.com: https://www-mapsofindia-com.cdn.ampproject.com
• Winning essays of the Mahatma Gandhi competition. (2010, January 11). Retrieved May 8, 2019, from spectator.sme.sk: https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20034950/winning-essays-of-the-mahatma-gandhi-competition.html

Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.

Provides a foundational overview, outlining the historical context and introducing key information that will be further explored in the essay, setting the stage for the argument to follow.

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The body of each paragraph builds an argument in support of the topic sentence, citing information from sources as evidence.

After each piece of evidence is provided, the author should explain HOW and WHY the evidence supports the claim.

Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad about the topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.

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Mahatma Gandhi and his Leadership

This essay will examine Mahatma Gandhi’s unique leadership style and his role in India’s struggle for independence. It will discuss his principles of nonviolence and civil disobedience, his ability to inspire and mobilize masses, and his lasting impact on global peace and civil rights movements. More free essay examples are accessible at PapersOwl about Justice.

How it works

• 2 Background
• 3 Ethical Leadership
• 4 Conclusion

This paper will investigate the leadership style, capacity, and skill of Mahatma Gandhi. It will first examine his life history, goals, visions, and struggles that he and his community faced. It will then analyze a few critical theories of leadership such as Transformational and Ethical. It will address Gandhi’s use of these styles as a political and social leader while closely examining the view of Mahatma Gandhi’s values and their impact to society in the 20th century. Furthermore, this analysis will discuss the Christian principles and values at play and how they align to Gandhi and his leadership.

The study of leadership is a theory that continues to evolve. Its complexity of conceptualization never ceases to find a permanent definition. Yet, it is an essential and paramount topic when it comes to success, influence and goals. Over the centuries, the evolution of leadership has cultivated a deeper meaning in society. However, the impact that a particular leader and their leadership style has on individuals is always there. As there are many leaders that have had a significant impact on followers, the one that stands out was India’s social and political leader, Mahatma Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi, also known as his byname, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born in Porbandar India in October 2, 1869 (Nanda, 2019). Gandhi, being born with an elite family name known in the Indian government, was known as a rebellion and troublemaker throughout his adolescents. It was known that on his father’s death bed, Gandhi decided to make love to his new wife and ended up missing his father’s death. However, Gandhi becomes struck with guilt after his wife’s miscarriage, as he knew that this was a sign for his wrong doings. Years later, Gandhi becomes a law student in London and joins a theosophical society which inadvertently draws him back into his Hindu ways where he begins to take on his values and principles he once left.

After graduation, Mahatma Gandhi travels back home to India where he loses his first court case. Shamed, he accepts a job in South Africa where he is later greeted with discrimination and segregation. It is his time in South Africa and India that Gandhi finds his true mission and influence, as he later becomes the sole representative of the Indian National Congress. Gandhi was an activist that did not partake in violence. As the mark of his death strikes as a national tragedy. His actions however, impacted millions of lives that struggle from oppression from the British, poverty, and social rights. The influence left by him could not be mentioned without first mentioning the unique leadership capacity and style of Mahatma Gandhi. The study of leadership theory has strong ties to western studies.

Bligh suggest that leadership studies have focused on Presidents and corporate leaders. Over the decades however, more effort has been taken to further research the cross- cultural perspective of leadership (Bligh, Robinson, 2010). Many modern leadership theories we see today emerged in the 1970’s thus, research into Gandhi’s leadership style was more thoroughly conducted after his death in 1948. Interestingly enough, Varghese address the similarities between the values of America and India, as both are based off of the principles of religion, and culture (Varghese, Nolan, & Bihm, 2017). Gandhi’s leadership style can be exhibited in two distinct leadership theory viewpoints. Transformational (with a charismatic emphasis) and Ethical leadership. These two leadership studies draw distinction to one another as they both represent a level of importance to the values, needs, and moral conscious while aiming to first recognize, address, and then resolve conflict that effects not only their followers but the leader as well.

Leadership Capacity and Skills Transformational Theory The demonstration of transformational leadership can be easily portrayed in Mahatma Gandhi. To better understand, Northouse describes this leadership theory as the process of engagement between other individuals or followers, were a common connection of values, emotion, and goals are established (Northouse, 2016). This connection heightens the level of morality as followers begin to feel empowered. Charismatic visionary, this leader attends to the needs of their followers with the hopes they can be equally successful. Some of the personality characteristics that underline transformational leadership are strong moral values. Since Gandhi’s [bookmark: _Hlk2717645]followers relatively held the same Indian values, they were able to relate with the idealism of Ahimsa, one of India’s most recognized virtues that was later adopted by Martine Luther King Jr. Gandhi embraced Ahimsa as it was a universal principle for human behavior. He believed that people should not respond to violent provocation with violence (Varghese, Nolan, & Bihm, 2017).

One of the behaviors that made Gandhi stand out was his humbleness, as he viewed himself, not as an actual leader, but as an equal partner with others who had their common goals at interest. Leading by the way of transformation also involves one to reestablish their commitment within an organization by selflessness, empowerment, and being a role model. Many studies suggest a unique concept to Gandhi’s political role as a leader. His desire to transform and motivate others, lead to him also being transformed and motivated as he was a leader to others and to himself. Furthermore, with Gandhi constantly being in the middle of many crisis with the attempts to solve, these events or obstacles, became an enabling tool for his leadership talents to takeoff. Transformational leadership holds many characteristics. One characteristic that cannot go unnoticed is charisma. Northouse defines charisma as a theory that can transform a follower’s self-concepts while linking the identity of followers to the grouped identity of the organization. Gandhi carried a sense of dominance and strong moral values as he used this to influence others (Northouse, 2016). There is a high exchange of expectation between Gandhi and his followers thus, there is a heightened level of competence and self-virtue which eventually leads to a stronger relationship between the two.

Ethical Leadership

The values and traits rooted in Mahatma Gandhi were undeniably apparent in his leadership. However, if we dig deeper into Gandhi’s transformative style, his ethical principles are visible. Using Northouse’s definitions as a baseline, we first examine five principles of ethical leadership that are reflected in Gandhi. First illustrated is respect others. Gandhi’s clear dedication to Ahimsa, the act of non-violence, demonstrates his clear respect, not only for his community, but for the British government during his revolt against them. The vision of treating others the way you would want to be treated even if your being treated unjustly. Gandhi understood his people’s needs and values and helped them become more aware of their purpose.

The second principle being illustrated here is to serve others. The emphasis of Gandhi being attentive to social dynamics in Africa and India shows his concern for his follower’s needs. Gandhi was driven to mitigate adversity amongst Indians by understanding the struggle they faced daily and being their voice and light towards freedom. Thirdly, showing justice continues to promote the idea of a leader’s consideration of justice and equality. We see this heavily in Gandhi’s political role in in the Indian National Congress as it was his mission to fight injustices that has overcome his community during that early 1900’s.

Forth principle noted is Honesty. Though Gandhi was a troublemaker in his youth, his work in the political arena and holding true to his values and principles promoted the ideal of honesty, as he believed that society expects leaders to be trustworthy. To better understand honesty, Northouse makes an interesting comparison with dishonesty. He notes that it is a misrepresentation of reality and brings many objectionable outcomes such as distrust, unreliability, loss of faith, and loss of respect which leads to a weakening relationship between follower and leader (Northouse, 2016). The Fifth and final ethical principle explained is Building Community. This principle focuses on leaders and follower’s both achieving a common goal. Gandhi took into account the idea of a group effort. For example, in 1930 the Salt March campaign against the British salt laws, took place for almost a month. Gandhi established a march of thousands of Indians to walk 240 miles in a salt water marsh land, as the British Salt Act of 1882 prohibited Indians from producing and selling salt (Pletcher, 2010).

The farther Gandhi walked, the larger his crowd became. In a way, Gandhi built a community that all wanted to achieve a common goal which was to defy the British law by cleaning and crystallizing the salt from the ocean at each high tide. Gandhi was soon arrested, but eventually released and acknowledge by the British government as they were willing to meet with the Indian National Congress. These five principles illustrated the importance of civic virtue, community development, and fairness, while acknowledging and creating a solution that will fulfill the needs of the people, in order to accomplish a common goal.

Values Gandhi’s leadership traits can be easily distinguished in transformational and ethical leadership as they are one of the main bases for these theories. However, by stepping back to solely examine Gandhi’s values that he followed so close, there is a clear line of leadership qualities that stem from these values. Brought up in an Indian background, Mahatma Gandhi embraced many values followed in the Indian community which helped expand his political work. Discussed earlier, Ashima focused on taking action in a resistance with the exclusion of violence.

Another Indian philosophical value is Dharma. This value, or value set, encompasses ideals such as uprightness, justice, duty and virtue. Gandhi’s passion to fight for the rights of his people, seek justice and peace are clearly associated with the foundational values that his leadership skills are based on. Furthermore, Gandhi’s transformative and ethical leadership is driven by values that endorsed benevolence, social responsibility and nonviolence. This proves that he had an influential imprint on society. Incorporation of Christian Principles

Though brought up Hindu, Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership incorporates many Christian principles in which we can pull from today. Gandhi had a natural passion for others who were suffering from injustice. This concept of loving thy neighbor which is taught in Matthew chapter 22:39, is a clear example of compassion for your fellow man. Christianity teaches on many biblical principles such as stewardship, love, and self-development. Jesus also demonstrated that the bases for leading others should be servanthood. Mark chapter 10:44 illustrates that God’s people should not limit themselves to serve God, but to be servants of men.

Furthermore, Christian principles emphasizes the importance of recognizing the concerns of others as Jesus has done, and continues to do for us. It is one’s social responsibility as a Christian to spread the gospel, seek justice and peace even if one will forgo their right’s. Gandhi stood up for the rights of others even if it meant going outside the legal realm. Although he was arrested multiple times, Gandhi put his concern for his people and community before his own. Ultimately, God has called man to be servants of men and leaders of faith with the mind set of building people up and loving them as God loves us.

Mahatma Gandhi’s role as a political and social revolutionist during the 20th century, have impacted and influenced thousands of people. Nevertheless, His vision, principles and values imbedded in his leadership, have illustrated the importance of recognizing the needs, values, and empowerment, of followers, and acting on it. His passion to seek justice and tranquility for Indians while fighting violence and racism, was seen in the eyes of men and women, young, and old. The morals and values Gandhi cherished, are what underline his transformative and ethical leadership style. It is clear here that Gandhi was a quintessence role model of civil disobedience and a charismatic leader as he publicly advocated his ideology with great boldness while adhering to the Ahimsa notion of nonviolence. Being an effective leader first starts with self- recognition and awareness of our strengths and weakness, as Gandhi states, we must be the change that we want to see in the world.

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Leadership Analysis: Mahatma Gandhi, Essay Example

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Introduction

“I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.” Spoken from Mahatma Gandhi himself believed that there was more to leadership then brawns but instead through relationships formed with people. Leadership can be defined in several ways however leadership encompasses three central things, influence, their followers, and the common goal of all parties involved. Leadership is viewed from the casting of a collective vision that others want to follow. Mahatma Gandhi is one of the true definitions of a leader. He wasn’t born to be a leader, he was imperfect, but he was authentic. Gandhi became a famous writer, intellectual, gifted orator, and politician that changed the lives of millions. Not only was Gandhi influential to those around him but his power resonated with the likes of Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, Albert Einstein, and others with his movements for civil rights, freedom, and non-violence.

Throughout this this leadership course the purpose was to show that anyone can be capable of leadership. The leadership styles are the mechanisms adopted by the leader in order to carry out the responsibilities of doing the greater good for others. In many profiles of great leaders most possessed the qualities that weren’t inherent but instead developed and created over times. Their leadership skills were carefully molded and polished over a period of time through experiences that gave them the will and motivation to put aside their ego and become a great leader. Great leaders are not born but instead can be learned and taught how to be an effective leader. Becoming a great leaders is a never-ending process that requires much practice, self-study and reflection, training, and experience. From Gandhi’s humble beginnings into learning and developing the skills of Gandhi’s influential transformative approach, Gandhi changed a nation. This paper will provide an analysis and assessment of why Mahatma Gandhi is the definition of a great leader and the style that he utilized in becoming an iconic leader in the world.

Born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar a small village under British authority in western India he was the youngest child from his father’s fourth wife. Gandhi’s father, Kraramchand Gandhi was the chief minister or dewan of Porbandar that was able to be an influential presence or princes and the political officers in power. His mother, Putlibal was a very religious woman who did not see the importance in material things such as jewelry or fine clothes. She devoted much of time to worshiping and praying in the temple, at home she frequently fasted, and was also a servant to her family when they were sick. Mahatma grew up religious also worshiping the Hindu god Vishnu who tenets involved being non-violent and believe that everything in the universe is eternal. He steadily practiced fasting, self-purification, mutual tolerance, and noninjury all living beings. In school Gandhi was average he was punctual in his classes, he won scholarships and prizes but his school record wasn’t a standout. He married at age 13 and enjoyed long solitary walks and help his parents and around the house. He was the typical teenager that rebelled against his family, he would eat meat, became a secret atheist, did petty thefts, and smoked, however after each activity he vowed do never again do them and he kept his vows.

Gandhi began to mold his life after the Hindu gods Harishcandra and Prahlada that were embodiments of sacrifice and truthfulness. After passing his matriculation exams he went on to studied at college at the University of Bombay and Samaldas College. His passion was to become a doctor but family pressure persuaded him to seek positions in high offices within India. He then set off to London were he felt he would be surrounded by philosophers, intellectuals, and poet that were the center of civilization. He took the vow before leaving that he would abstain from women, wine, and meat, and went off to study law. There at the London University he worked hard to perfect his Latin and English but his difficulty in adapting to the western lifestyle prove to be the bigger hurdle. Upon following his vegetarian background he found a vegetarian restaurant where he was able to come out his shell and participate as an executive member of the London Vegetarian Society, where he was introduced to several notable figures that influence his thinking. He was introduced to the Bible, philosophical form of poetry Bhagavadgita, figures such as George Bernard Shaw, Edward Carpenter, Annie Besant, and others. The figures shared ideas of simple living, the evils of the capitalist society, and superiority of moral value over materialistic values.

When Gandhi returned to India he wasn’t welcomed with open arms, the law field was overcrowded and he had to accept a one year contract with a small Indian Firm. He moved to South Africa and that is where his leadership skills were molded. He stayed in South Africa for 21 years and experienced many forms of racism, discrimination, and harrowing encounters that left him looking for a change. He was beaten, thrown out, and banned from hotels that were restricted to only Europeans. His reaction to these actions were not the act of aggression but instead he felt that what he and other Indians were experiencing were a great injustice that attention needed to be given to. Returning to Pretoria he educated himself on the way of life of his fellow countrymen and tried to educate others on their rights. When he first was supposed to leave he learned that the Natal Legislative Assembly was preparing to pass a bill that barred Indians from voting, he felt a sense of urgency and dutifulness where he overcame his fears of public speaking and became a proficient political campaigner. He used his role to draft up several petitions, although he didn’t succeed against the bill he sparked the attention of the press and the public within England and India.

Gandhi founded the Natal Indian Congress where he invoked a spirit of kinship and solidarity within the Indian community. He drafted several letters and petitions to the legislatures and offices to make them aware of the mistreatment, the injustice, and the discrimination that was being conducted on the Indian citizens. Major media ran stories on Gandhi and he was able to meet with prominent leaders to address the situations to the public. He was attacked ferociously but he never would prosecute his assailants because he didn’t feel that he needed to seek redress in a court of law. When the South African Boer War broke out he spoke out against Indians who felt it was their duty to defend the British Crown. He raised a corps of volunteers to aid the injured where he instilled a sense of service to others. Although he was making progress elsewhere the South African Europeans were unmoved, and they passed a ordinance where Indians had register, Gandhi help to form a mass protest where they took a pledge to not obey the ordinance if it became law and was prepared to suffer the repercussions of breaking the law. He used the idea of civil disobedience where they resisted their adversaries, and were willing to suffer for their rights. It lasted for over seven years, Gandhi and his followers held fast to their resistance which included hundreds of Indians going to jail including Gandhi. They were sacrificing their livelihood and their liberty, they were imprisoned, shot, and flogged. Under pressure from British and India governments they negotiated a compromise led by Gandhi.

Shaping Gandhi’s Leadership Skills

Gandhi’s process of becoming an iconic leader were developed from his experiences that happened in South Africa. He stay in London helped to introduce him to new ideas and mold his views on what the government was doing to others. He views were aided by literature introduced including the Bible, Tolstoy, and philosophical poetry. He deciding on being a champion for the independence of India from Great Britain, the rights of Indians, Muslim and Hindu unity, and the issues that were effecting the poor, the inequalities and the injustices that were done to the Indian community. Gandhi accomplish these goals by developing an approach of civil disobedience that resisted the enemy tactics through non-violence. Although he didn’t display any of the leadership qualities as a child or throughout his years in England, once he saw the injustice of his kinsmen in South Africa he developed a spirit of leadership where he established direction, created a vision of freedom, aligned the people, and motivated them to make a change. (Northouse, 2013) Gandhi developed the three crucial skills to becoming an effective leader that included, human, technical, and conceptual. According to Zenger-Folkman what makes great leaders is their observant of leadership, “they need not only to understand some basic concepts and be reasonably well read, they need to able to judge everyday interactions and understand what is missing.” (Zenger-Folkman, 2005)

What sets great leaders apart from good leaders is their dedication and their duty to discipline. A trait that Gandhi clearly developed, it is considered more of important than a natural ability, because those with discipline will go beyond those with natural ability. Gandhi would also be considered a level 5 leader by Jim Collins. In his definition of what a great leader he defines that level 5 or great leaders are those that are willing to put their egos aside for the greater means to something larger and lasting than themselves. (Collins, 2001) Gandhi fully believed that leaders were just more than muscles but instead was about the relationships formed with individuals. The definition and purpose of leaders is view through a perspective that exclusive of the direct influence and motivation of others. Leadership is a processed practice where leaders can emerge out of necessity. In the case of Gandhi he felt that there was no other alternative. He wasn’t a very vocal person, and usually shy which proved difficult when presenting cases. The need for someone to stand up for him and his people inspired an overnight change in Gandhi were others responded favorably to him. He can be first viewed as an emergent leader when he spoke out against the proposed bill, the age of 25 he was bent on rallying others and changing the minds of those in power. Northouse believes that emergent leaders developed their skills from communication which involves them being verbal, informed of situations, seeks out others input, create new ideas, and can speak from an authoritative position. (Northouse, 2013) These skills are pertinent in organizations and in the case of Gandhi in motivating others.

In Gandhi’s development into becoming a great leader he displayed several leadership styles that helped him to become the leader of a nation. The style chosen needs to resonant with the followers, specifically being a resonant leader are those that are passionate about their mission and use their relationships that are formed with their follows to move them forward. What Gandhi clearly possessed was the power to inspire others. The theory of path goal leadership identifies that leaders incorporate the capabilities of defining their goals, clarifying the path to achieving these goals, and removing the barriers. This theory lays the foundation of being a transformative leaders. Gandhi motivated others through ethics, standards, values, and emotions. Gandhi’s idealology of nonviolence was a formative tool in combatting the injustices done to the Indians. He led an idealology that changed the mindset of others and made a difference that forced the government to come to a negotiation. His following of Satyagraha or (devotion to truth) was a technique that helped for redressing the wrongs of enemies without fighting them with violence. Gandhi felt that the courts couldn’t properly redress those that committed wrong to them. “There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts.” (Gandi) A transformational leader has the characteristics of being fearless, willful, humility, and creating a greater change. According to Collins, great leaders, “builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical combination of personal humility plus professional will.” (Collins, 2001)

One of the leadership styles that Gandhi clearly possessed was the servant leadership approach. This leadership style is closely aligned with a transformational leaders as they both but their followers first, and support their followers to grow and succeed. Gandhi aspired and motivated through empathy, listening, healing, persuasion, awareness, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment, and building community. (Northouse, 2013) Servant leaders such as Gandhi perform their leadership skills that empower others, uphold ethical standards, and creates value for the community. Although Gandhi was trained as lawyer he developed he skills of service when he lived in South Africa where he tried to educate and teach other Indians on their rights. His experiences of discrimination and injustice helped him to become dedicated to humanitarian work. He dedicated time to being a volunteer nurse at the local hospital were he was healed, and help to develop an ambulance corps during the South African Boer War. His dedication to service helped to influence others, which the corps was made up of local merchants, lawyers, and other servicemen.

Gandhi was a selfless leader that dedicated much of his life to serving the poor. He saw poverty as one of the greatest crimes of the world, to Gandhi serving the poor was one his greatest pleasures. He put others before him and even motivated his wife to sacrifice her liberty for the fight for others. She along with Gandhi were jailed several times, and she died while being in jail. Gandhi gave his life as well as he was assassinated trying to achieve on of his goals of uniting Hindu and Muslim brethren. His technique of nonviolence and support for others that weren’t like him transposed his death and carried into other movements and generations. His philosophy was that, “You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.” (Gandhi, Brainy Quotes, 2013)

Characteristics and Skills of Gandhi’s Leadership

Gandhi possessed the skills of being a relational leader that held the power to be empathetic to the needs of the people. Gandhi developed powerful relationships with his followers and never placed his self on a higher pedestal. Involved in their problems and situations he struck a significant bond that resonated with those around him. Gandhi not only had the ability and the personality to resonant with his followers but intellectuals as well. He had the personality to be on the same level as those he was petitioning to in offices. Gandhi possessed what Northouse described as the Big Five Personality Factors which defined the mechanisms used in order to formulate relationships with others through extraversion, neuroticism, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. (Northouse, 2013)

Gandhi had the qualities of being genuine and humble in his care for his kinsmen and his opponents. He took the causes of his followers and made them his own including the rights of the poor, the famers, the mill workers, the Muslims, and the Hindus. He fought for independence, unfair taxes, and fair treatment of the people in South Africa. He possessed the abilities of being an authentic leader that dedicated his life for the betterment of others. Bill George’s Authentic Leadership Approach shows the key characteristics of being an authentic leader. Understanding his followers’ purposes, establishing trusting relationships with his followers, demonstrating self-discipline, strong values and standards held on the right things to do, and being passionate about the missions. (Northouse, 2013) Gandhi felt that he had to lead by example he set up his life to a role model for others, although he had reported flaws and failures as a leader, it didn’t outweigh his methods, approaches, and practices on making a change for South Africa. He influence many notable figures that include Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr in their fight for civil rights, and influence Albert Einstein on living a morally superior life. Gandhi’s Leadership

What makes Mahatma Gandhi great was that he was revolutionary of creating change without subjugating violence. Unlike other leaders, authoritative figures, and rulers he didn’t have motivate with power possessed from making people do immoral acts. His views and actions resonant with an ethical leader that has a moral compass of knowing the differences between what is right and what is wrong. His teachings and upbringing thanks to his mother helped to mold his moral values that are significant in becoming an effective leader. What Gandhi possessed is the utilitarianism approach where the leaders display behaviors that create the greatest good for the greatest number. He would sacrifice his body through fasting in order to provoke change from others. His used his intellect and empathy formed with others in order to inspire and motivate others to perform the greatest good for others. His leadership skills were not innate or something that he was born with but instead it was something that he developed through life experiences, interactions, and relationships formed with others. His ideas, abilities, and qualities where transformed and placed on display once he needed to step up to help those that couldn’t. His leadership skills are something to aspire to, he influence countries, and he influenced other great minds and leaders. Mahatma Gandhi is a legend, an icon, and the embodiment of a leader that is not without flaws but puts others ahead of him in order to create a lasting change that will outlast him. Even through more research was conducted his legacy as a great leader still stands.

Gandhi’s results from his leadership include India’s independence, influence Nelson Mandela in his civil rights fight to end the apartheid in South Africa, and the civil rights movement within the United States. Gandhi was a political leader that innovated and invented a new way in which liberation was practice without violence and with the greatest devotion to change. His influence has been felt through several generations and will remain in the future. He is celebrated globally and annually through festivals, holidays, movies, monuments, and museums. His dedication to nonviolence and peace is shared through the creation of the Gandhi Peace Prize, and named one of the most political icons of all time.

Personally, leadership styles that Gandhi embodied create somewhat of an unreachable pedestal as Gandhi is a global icon of peace and change. He influences me in my daily activities to treat everyone in a humane matter, and to focus on the greatest good for all. He has inspired me to be more dedicated to humanitarian duties, and the duties to help those that are less fortunate. Gandhi felt much joy in helping those in poverty and felt it was one of the biggest crimes in the world. By placing one in the shoes of others it helps to emphasize with their problems and their struggles in order to think of something greater to help them. Gandhi is a figurehead of resistance attacks of people through nonviolence means. That means when people choose to be hateful towards me, the skills I possess and admire in Gandhi is to simply ignore. Gandhi has helped me realized that through small changes greatness can happen. One man was able to change a nation.

In conclusion Mahatma Gandhi is an exemplanary leader, which possesses the qualities and characteristics of a learned leader that sacrificed his life, liberty, and body in order to for the greater good. With the aid of readings throughout the course, this paper was able to explain the type of leadership styles that Gandhi possessed and the skills that he developed throughout his life in order to become a great leader. His legacy has surpassed his life and death and influenced other great leaders that motivated others to make a change in the world.

Ancona, Deborah, Malone, Thomas, Orlikowski, Wanda, Senge, Peter. “In Praise of the Incomplete Leader. (2007). Harvard Business Review . Retrieved from http://www.lifechallengeprogram.org/praise.pdf

Collins, Jim. (2001). “Level Five Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve.” Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://nuonline.neu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6597194-dt-content-rid-6911325_1/

Doyle, M. E. and Smith, M. K. (2001) “Classical leadership.” The Encyclopedia of Informal Educational. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/leadership/traditional_leadership.htm

“Mahatma Gandi” (2013). Brainy Quotes . Retrieved from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mahatma_gandhi_2.html

“Mahatma Gandhi” (2013). Bibliography. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/mahatma-gandhi-9305898

McKee, Annie, Boyatzis, Richard, Johnson, Frances. (2008). Becoming a Resonant Leader . Boston, Massachusetts. Harvard Business Press.

Northouse, Peter G., (2013) Theory and Practice, 6th Ed., Sage Publications.

Zengor-Folkman. (2005). “Great Leaders Makes a Great Difference.” The Extraordinary Leader . McGraw-Hill Publishing.

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Mahatma Gandhi: Strengths and Weaknesses Term Paper

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Introduction

Mahatma gandhi: leadership theory, recommendations to increase effectiveness, mahatma gandhi: overall performance, personal reflections.

Best known for his outstanding qualities of a peacemaker and utilitarian, Mahatma Gandhi was a charismatic, altruistic, and selfless leader. Without a single violent action, he managed to achieve such progress in Indian-British relationships which other nations could not even dream about with the use of military power. His strongest weapon was love – love to his friends and foes, subordinates and masters, and adherents and opponents. Gandhi’s style of leadership was unique due to the application of visionary leadership and the servant leadership methodologies. His legacy as the leader is the exalted name of “The Father of India” (Munshi, 2010)

Addressing Gandhi’s strengths as a leader, this person was prominent due to the implementation of the shared vision leadership strategy. His charismatic impact on followers was explained by the power of his ideas and his own example. Being a member of the highest caste in India, endowed by excellent opportunities in life such as brilliant education and well-paying occupation, Gandhi led a life of simplicity and limitations. His exhausted body was his powerful tool to persuade million people to follow him in the fight for the vindication of Indian rights. According to Stanley Wolpert.

By re-creating himself, through the power of his passion, in the humble, vulnerable image of India’s poorest starving naked millions, Gandhi could, when moved to do so by his ‘inner voice,’ call upon that unarmed ragged army, whose pain he mirrored and magnified in his own naked body, to follow him barefoot up India’s Via Dolorosa to freedom. And countless millions unhesitatingly did follow him, not as a modern political leader, nor as a medieval native prince or martial maharaja, but as their own Mahatma, India’s “Great Soul” (qtd. in Bligh & Robinson, 2010, p. 844).

The quotation mentioned above demonstrates the strongest inner qualities of this prominent leader, which are the ability to communicate his thoughts through words and deeds, connectedness with followers, focus on the shared vision, strong ideation skills, and outstanding positivity. Other strengths of this inimitable person are proactivity, highly effective conflict management skills, emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, celebrating diversity and excellent problem solving and decision making skills.

Speaking about Gandhi’s weaknesses, it is necessary to note that they are not as eloquent as his virtues. Still, according to a number of critics, this leader was not charismatic to the full extent. Although he did demonstrate ability to draw masses, but this result was achieved due to his message and not the pathos of his speech. The following statement made by Bligh and Robinson. (2010) offers more details to understand Gandhi’s limitations as a speaker, “Gandhi’s rhetoric contained a number of charismatic themes, underscoring the strong impact of his visionary rhetoric despite lacking a dramatic and memorable delivery style or pervasive media coverage” (p. 853). Further, Gandhi failed to perform well as a team protector and the major aspect of this problem was his negligence in relation to his own personality. His altruism was not balanced by the care for the personal well-being. As a result, Gandhi did not succeed in his mission realization to the full extent because a fanatic person killed him. Another weakness in Gandhi’s leadership practices was the failure to establish well-measurable strategic planning indicators. As a consequence, the followers of this politician lacked specific information regarding their final purpose and intermediate objectives on their road to success. All these negative factors delayed Indian success for decades.

Gandhi’s approach to leadership can be characterized as visionary leadership, servant leadership, Laissez-Faire style leadership, paternalistic leadership, and transformational leadership. In Gandhi’s case, visionary leadership is demonstrated through the use of the collaborative approach to develop the shared vision with an entire nation to encourage people to act in a particular way with an objective of a common goal realization. By his own life example, Gandhi created and articulated realistic, convincing, and appealing vision of the future of India. Besides, he supported leadership roles of others by his own example.

In addition, Gandhi’s concept of leadership can be characterized as servant leadership, which is explained by the main characteristics of his personality. In this vein, he demonstrated excellent listening skills, empathy, awareness, foresight, conceptualization, stewardship, building community, and commitment to the growth of people. Moreover, he prioritized the needs of those whom he served over his own needs (Kouzes & Posner, 2012).

Next, Gandhi’s leadership style is the synthesis of the Laissez-Faire and the democratic style with the dominating of the Laissez-Faire. Such conclusion can be made because the leader practiced decision making from different perspectives, was highly motivational, relied on effective team work, promoted flourishing interpersonal relations, and developed a positive climate among the followers (Munshi, 2010).

Further, Gandhi’s leadership is the eloquent example of paternalistic type of leadership style. To support this statement, the politician played the role of a ‘father figure’ in Indian society, he believed in the need to support his followers as his children, and adopted family-based decision making manner.

Finally, since Gandhi’s personal impact helped his followers make positive changes, his leadership style can be also defined as transformational leadership (Kouzes & Posner, 2012). Gandhi’s transformational impact is often listed among his most prominent personal qualities.

Using the information learnt during this course, the following recommendations concerning the increase of leadership effectiveness could be offered to the leader:

• improve oratorical skills to ensure a higher level of charisma;
• work on team protection and personal protection:
• include measurable indicators of success (Northouse, 2012).

To make these recommendations, such variables as power of speech, the level of care for personal welfare, and strategic planning practices were taken into consideration. Speaking about the third variable, it is necessary to note that the assessment of strategic planning indicators measuring Gandhi’s objectives as an Indian leader demonstrated the lack of pragmatism in his activity. Below, each of the three recommendations will be observed more closely.

The actualization of rhetoric skills is necessary for a great leader since it is through the artful speech that a leader communicates one’s ideas to the followers. In connection with the above-made statement, the following comment by Bligh and Robinson (2010) finds implementation in Gandhi’s case, “it is the content of a leader’s message that invites followers to embark down the leader’s chosen path, and motivates and reassures followers to continue when that path becomes difficult” (p. 853).

Team protection and personal security matters should be the central priorities for a great leader as this individual should demonstrate such important qualities as being alert to social environment and adaptable to the changing circumstances. Unless a leader has a special focus on security measures, his or her project will not succeed due to opponents’ resistance. Gandhi’s murder is a thought provoking illustration to the truth related higher. Failure to implement such an important recommendation as team protection is a fatal mistake not only for a business but it is highly possible that it may have implications for a leader in person.

Development of measurable indicators of success is as important as the elaboration of the shared vision. Without well-weighted assessment tools, neither leader nor his of her followers are able to identify the level of performance of a team and its members on an individual basis. Therefore, the implementation of correctional measures will become impossible or hindered (Northouse, 2012).

In essence, Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership style is peculiar for continuous learning and improvement, excellent listening ability, execution effectiveness, proactivity, non-stop self-awareness development, high degree of self-discipline, value-driven vision, holistic perspective in every endeavor, and being open-minded. Moreover, outstanding success of this leader was connected with the fact that he always practiced what he taught. Thus, Gandhi is a vivid example of visionary leadership, servant leadership, and transformational leadership

To integrate the information learnt during this course into my own leadership practice, I plan to work both on eliminating my weaknesses and on my strengths optimization. First, my primary objective is to ensure high level of personal discipline and self-organization since a great leader is the one capable of restricting one’s unnecessary wishes and vein pursuits in order to achieve important goals of business development. Numerous talented people failed to perform well in the area of leadership because they did not pay enough attention to self-discipline. In this regard, Gandhi’s example became a source of inspiration to me. Nowadays, few people will decide to limit their expectations of life to such an extent as Gandhi because modern world is the world of consumption, egoism, and selfishness. Still, I aim to be more balanced in pursuing my self-interests since I do not want to be destructed from realization the goal of my life. Thus, it is crucial for me to know how to control my opportune time, not to waste it on unnecessary works, and help my followers in this important task.

Further, I reserved to focus on my community building skills development and on removing the problems we have in this field in my company. First, I am going to facilitate the creation of the shared vision to unite the collective body of workers and the management. Second, I aim to promote diversity among the employees since I am concerned about the malpractices certain individuals demonstrate in the field of cooperation with the rest of the personnel in the company (Kouzes & Posner, 2012).

Finally, after a detailed study of Gandhi’s success practices, I adopted a decision to continue the process of self-development and self-education to actualize self-awareness. One of the key aspects of Gandhi’s excellence is his belief that he had to enlarge the body of his knowledge on a daily basis and he made it the sense of his life. This remarkable attitude encouraged me to acquire new knowledge and regularly exchange positive experience with my colleagues to become more skilled in diversified areas including solving problems and anti-crisis management.

Bligh, M., & Robinson, J. (2010). Was Gandhi “charismatic”? Exploring the rhetorical leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. The Leadership Quarterly , 21 (5), 844-855.

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2012). The leadership challenge (5th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Munshi, S. (2010). Learning Leadership: Lessons from Mahatma Gandhi. Asian Journal Of Social Science, 38 (1), 37-45.

Northouse, P. G. (2012) Leadership theory and practice . (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

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IvyPanda. (2022, January 28). Mahatma Gandhi: Strengths and Weaknesses. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mahatma-gandhi-strengths-and-weaknesses/

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Essay on Mahatma Gandhi

Freedom is the need of every living thing on this earth. However, this freedom does not come free of cost. We feel proud to say that our country India is an independent country but when we say this, we also remember the story behind this freedom. This freedom cost us millions lives and thousands of struggles. Many people fought tirelessly to make India an independent country. Moreover, when we talk about India’s independence movement, the first name that strikes our mind is “Mahatma Gandhi”. Every child of India is well aware of this name. So, to discover more about this famous personality, let us discuss Mahatma Gandhi in detail.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay in English

Here, we are presenting long and short essays on Mahatma Gandhi in English for students under word limits of 100 – 150 Words, 200 – 250 words, and 500 – 600 words. This topic is useful for students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in English. These provided essays will also be helpful for students to write essay, speech, or paragraphs on this topic.

10 Lines Essay on Mahatma Gandhi (100 – 120 Words)

1) Mahatma Gandhi, born on October 2, 1869, was an Indian political leader.

2) His mother was Putlibai and father was Karamchand Gandhi.

3) He played a vital role in India’s struggle for independence against British rule.

4) He led several peaceful protests and movements, including the famous Salt March.

5) His beliefs and teachings inspired many other civil rights leaders around the world.

6) He was imprisoned numerous times for his protests against violence and injustice.

7) Gandhi was against the British rule and he worked hard to get India’s freedom.

8) Gandhi is widely known for his philosophy of nonviolence and civil disobedience.

9) He was shot on 30 January 1948 at 5:17 pm by Nathuram Godse.

10) Gandhi inspires people worldwide to fight for peace, justice, and equality.

Essay on Mahatma Gandhi (250 – 300 Words)

Introduction

Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most important people in India’s movement for independence. Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi ji, father of the nation, bapu, etc are the various names of our beloved freedom fighter Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of the Nation

Mahatma Gandhi was born in Porbandar, Gujarat on 2 nd October 1869 to Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai. Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian writer, politician, lawyer, and social worker. Gandhi is often called the “Father of the Nation” in India, because his tireless efforts and selfless fight for freedom made him an advocate of the oppressed people. He supported civil resistance that didn’t involve violence and promoted the idea of Satyagraha, which means “the force of truth.”

Role of Gandhi in Independence Movement

Gandhi’s contribution to the Indian independence movement cannot be overstated. He believed that India could only achieve true freedom through non-violence and civil disobedience. In 1919, Gandhi called for a nationwide strike in protest against the Rowlatt Act. This led to widespread protests and marked the beginning of Gandhi’s mass civil disobedience campaigns. Gandhi organized several significant movements such as the Salt March in 1930. These movements got the attention and support of most Indians and were a key part of getting the country independence.

Gandhi’s ability to lead and his unwavering dedication to his cause have made him a true freedom fighter. His strategy of using nonviolence and civil disobedience to win freedom is still a great example of how peaceful resistance can change politics. As we remember and honor the “Father of the Nation,” let’s try to live by his values of truth, nonviolence, and social justice to make the world a better place for everyone.

Long Essay on Mahatma Gandhi (500 Words)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an important leader in India’s fight for freedom. Gandhi was not only a political leader but also a great thinker and philosopher. His nonviolent approach to fighting injustice inspired individuals and movements around the world and continues to be remembered as a symbol of peace and resistance.

Mahatma Gandhi: Early Life

Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat to Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai. In May 1883, Mohandas, who was 13 at the time, got married to Kasturba devi, who was 14. He received his formal education in India and later studied law in London. Gandhi faced discrimination during his time in South Africa, which became a turning point in his life. This experience prompted him to fight for justice and equality, not only for Indians but for all oppressed people. When he got back to India, he became a well-known leader of the Indian National Congress.

Principles or Ideology of Gandhi Ji

Gandhi’s thought was based on the ideas of nonviolence, truth, and not caring about yourself. He thought that Satyagraha, a movement of nonviolent protest, could bring about social and political change. Gandhi was sure that violence leads to more violence and that kindness and understanding are the only ways to solve problems without violence. His ideas highlighted the value of being kind, forgiving, and loving to one’s enemies.

Contributions of Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s contributions to the Indian independence movement were immense. He played a pivotal role in organizing mass protests, strikes, and boycotts against British rule. The Salt March, which he led in 1930, is widely regarded as one of his most significant accomplishments. This act of civil disobedience sparked international attention and brought the Indian independence movement to the forefront. Other than this, Gandhi ji also led Champaran and Kheda Agitations, Non-cooperation Movement, Quit India Movement, etc. He was also an advocate for women’s rights. He believed in gender equality and fought against social norms that oppressed women.

Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s idea of nonviolent resistance inspired leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela to fight for human rights and equality. Truth and sincerity are still seen as important values for people who want to live in a fair and peaceful society. However, we lost this gem on 30 January 1948. Nathuram Godse, an extremist Hindu, shot and killed Mahatma Gandhi. The news of his death was felt all throughout the world. In India, 2 nd October is seen as Gandhi Jayanti and is a national holiday.

Mahatma Gandhi’s effect on the world cannot be overestimated. His peaceful way of fighting for freedom not only led to India’s independence but also changed the course of history for oppressed people all over the world. Gandhi’s ideas and teachings continue to inspire people and groups that work for peace, justice, and equality. Mahatma Gandhi will always be remembered as a sign of hope and courage in the face of hardship.

I hope the above provided essay on Mahatma Gandhi will be helpful in understanding his contribution for this country.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on Mahatma Gandhi

Ans. Nathuram Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi, a spiritual leader known as the “Great Soul of India,” when he was 78 years old. “Hey Ram” were the last words Mahatma Gandhi spoke before he died from the gunshot.

Ans. On January 30, 1948, after a prayer gathering in New Delhi, Mahatma Gandhi was killed, he was 78 years old. At point-blank range, three bullets were shot into his chest and stomach.

Ans. Satyagraha was the most important tool Mahatma Gandhi used to fight the British and free India. The concept of Satyagraha was created by Mahatma Gandhi. It is a form of civil protest that doesn’t use violence.

Ans. “Mahatma,” which means “great soul,” was a name that people used to call Gandhi. Rabindranath Tagore, a poet and philosopher from Bengal, gave him this title.

Ans. Mahatma Gandhi hasn’t won either the Bharat Ratna or the Nobel Prize, but he was named 5 times for the Nobel Peace Prize between 1937 and 1948. The Court said that Gandhi Ji and the things he did will live on forever. Any award, including the Bharat Ratna, will hurt his reputation.

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Essay On Great Leader | Great Leader Essay for Students and Children in English

Essay On Great Leader: When we are to think of ‘a great leader’, our mind naturally turns towards a great leader — one of the greatest of the modern world — Mahatma Gandhi. for a political or a national leader who have the turn ‘Mahatma’ added to it, by itself determines and decides his greatness. No other leader of the modern age has achieved this distinction of being called a ‘Mahatma’:— one who is ‘great’ in ‘Soul’ — ‘Mahaan’ in ‘Atma’.

Long Essay on Great Leader 500+ Words in English

Short essay on great leader 200+ words in english, 10 lines on great leader.

• What are the qualities of a Great Leader?
• What makes you a Great Leader?
• What does a good leader look like?

Long and Short Essays on Great Leader Kids and Students in English

Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of ‘Great Leader’ in both long and short form. The first essay is a long essay on the Great Leader of 400-500 words. This long essay about Great Leader is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on Great Leader of 150-200 words. These are suitable for students and children in class 6 and below.

Below we have given a long essay on Great Leader of 500+ words that is helpful for classes 7, 8, 9, and 10 and Competitive Exam Aspirants. This long essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 7 to class 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants.

Let us first know something about his life and how from an ordinary lawyer he grew into a great soul.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born is 1869 in Porbandar, Kathiawar in Gujarat. At the age of eighteen, he passed the University examination and went to England to study law. There, in England, he found himself very much out of place as the society there was quite different from the one in which Gandhi was born. He tried to adapt himself to that society — he studied law, put on the best English dress, even joined classes to learn dancing as the English men and women dance, even broke his vow given to his mother and ate meat. But in none of these ways did he achieve any success and he remained what he was. Only that he passed out the law examination and returned to his country — India — settled in Bombay as a lawyer.

Gandhi had been married, as per the normal social customs, at the early age of 13 years. He wrote in his autobiography how he was deeply attached to his wife. That is what it was but then life as a lawyer in Bombay started well. Gandhi was a very shy sort of a young man and that was a handicap for him as a lawyer. But then, as luck would have it, he got a chance to go to South Africa as a lawyer to one of his clients. This was a turning point in his life.

In South Africa — under the British rale then, he found that the native ‘blacks’ were treated by the ‘whites’ with great disgrace and humiliation. Even he, as an Indian, with a brown complexion, had to suffer this disgrace. He was thrown out of a first-class railway compartment by the ‘white’ Co-travellers as ‘blacks’ were not allowed to travel by a first-class. Having been physically assaulted and thrown out of the compartment, Gandhi at once struck upon an idea which flashed in his mind — passive-resistance — Satyagraha.

From then onwards, Gandhi started into a new role — an agitator against racial discrimination on behalf of the Indian Community in South Africa. He made Johannesburg and Praetoria as the centers of his agitation and established a center for the Indian Community at Phoenix. His tireless zeal in this matter earned him a great name and the Indian Community got great moral courage under his leadership. He addressed assemblies, was prosecuted and jailed, and suffered but would not give up. This strong-willed resistance won him the title of ‘Mahatma’.

Gandhi returned to India in January 1915 and soon got out organizing the labor class. The gruesome Jalianwala Bagh massacre of unarmed, peaceful assembly at Amritsar turned him to direct political protest against the British government. He became a dominant figure in the Indian National Congress. He launched his non¬cooperation movement against the British government in 1920-22, organized protest marches like the Dandi Salt March against the salt-tax.

Below we have given a short essay on Great Leader is for Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This short essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 6 and below.

Gandhi was repeatedly imprisoned for civil disobedience and his final imprisonment came in 1942-44 as a result of his call, to the British to ‘Quit India’. So much honor had he won for himself by his selfless struggle that he was invited by the Emperor of Great Britain, King George V to meet him and he met him as he was, in a loincloth and a shawl over the shoulders. It was in this manner that he lastly met Lord Mountbatten and Lady Mountbatten to negotiate on Indian independence.

He had always fought for the rights of the downtrodden and called the untouchables of the Hindu Society as ‘Harijans’ and stayed with them in their colonies. He always fought for Hindu-Muslim unity.

A man of great moral courage, he fasted so many times, the last being the most dangerous for his life. He was against the creation of Pakistan but then that was done. He still fought for the sake of giving Pakistan its due and this led to a great Hindu backlash. On January 30, 1948, he was killed by a Zealot, Godse for his pro-Muslim and pro-Pakistan attitude.

But Gandhi remained an undisputed leader of the masses. His moral courage and his godliness rightly gave him the title of ‘Mahatma’ and he shall ever be remembered as the greatest leaders of the 20th century.

• When we think of a great leader, one thinks of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Born at Porbander, Kathiawar, Gujarat in 1869; married at the age of 13 and left for England at the age of 18 to study law.
• I wanted to become an Englishman while in England, tried to learn dancing, and even ate meat.
• On his return to India, he started practice at Bombay. I had the chance to go to South Africa to plead a case.
• This was the turning point in his life. In South Africa experienced racial discrimination practiced by the ‘White’ rulers against native ‘blacks’ Himself became its victim.
• Started agitation against this discrimination and launched ‘Satyagraha’ — passive resistance.
• Organized the Indian Community in this passive resistance, suffered persecution but did not give up. Became a leader with a great soul-force, a Mahatma.
• On arrival back to India organized laborers. The brutal massacre of innocent, unarmed people in Amritsar (Jalianwala Bagh) by the British Soldiers, shifted Gandhi’s field of activity to the political scene.
• Non-cooperation movements, passive resistance, Gandhi became the national leader with the Indian National Congress — suffered jail terms several times, undertook fasts.
• Remained committed to fighting against untouchability and for Hindu-Muslim unity. Lived a poor-mans life to be an example. Did not want a partition of the country, favored Muslims, and at last became the victim of a bullet on Jan. 30, 1948.

Students can find more English Essay Writing Topics, Ideas, Easy Tips to Write Essay Writing, and many more also visit Mahatma Gandhi Essay

FAQs on Essay on Great Leader

1. What are the qualities of a Great Leader?

Below is the list of some of the qualities of a Great Leader.

Integrity. Ability to delegate. Communication. Self-awareness. Gratitude. Learning ability. Influence. Empathy.

2. What makes you a Great Leader?

A great leader posses a clear vision, is courageous, has integrity, honesty, humility, and clear focus. Great leaders help people reach their goals, are not afraid to hire people that might be better than them, and take pride in the accomplishments of those they help along the way.

3. What does a good leader look like?

Great leaders are people in which others have confidence and respect. They have clear goals but are very open to alternative perspectives. They care about the people who work with them but are capable of making hard decisions when necessary. They are self-confident without being loud, aggressive, or dominating.

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Rahul Gandhi, Long on the Ropes, Looks Set for an Unexpected Comeback

The Indian National Congress and its leader registered a far stronger showing in India’s elections than many expected.

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By Sameer Yasir

Reporting from New Delhi

Just last year, Rahul Gandhi and the once-powerful party he led, the Indian National Congress, seemed to be on the ropes and little threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s consolidation of political power.

Congress had not been a competitive factor in national elections in years, winning fewer and fewer votes each time Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party was elected. And Mr. Gandhi himself had been convicted on a slander charge and barred from holding a seat in Parliament.

But on Tuesday, Mr. Gandhi and a broad opposition coalition led by his Congress party registered a far stronger showing than expected in India’s elections, setting the stage for an unlikely comeback.

“He has finally arrived,” said Rasheed Kidwai, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a think tank in New Delhi. “This time he has improved his vote share by at least 17 million votes, which is very substantial.”

On Wednesday, Mr. Modi’s party announced that it had reached an agreement to form a governing coalition, including two parties that do not necessarily share its vision. Congress won 99 seats in the 543-seat Parliament, a gain of 47 seats, and the alliance of which it is the leading part won a total of 232.

Congress and its alliance of over two dozen political groups have presented the results as a “moral victory” over a B.J.P. government that they say was trying to change the country’s Constitution and have portrayed as anathema to India’s identity as a multifaith and secular country.

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