Information about Gandhi’s life

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the political leaders of the Indian Independence movement and promoted mass civil disobedience through non-violence as a way to achieve this goal. He first exercised this practice in South Africa where he fought to end racial discrimination against Indians and blacks. When the South African government passed a law requiring the Indian community to register with the government, Gandhi urged his fellow Indians to disobey the new laws, but to accept the punishment for what they had done and to only resist through non-violent means. After seven years of burning registration cards and some even refusing to register the South African government was forced by the public to form a compromise with Gandhi.
When he returned to India, Gandhi helped poor farmers and laborers to protest against heavy taxation. He also protested the caste system in which people who were labeled as untouchables were highly discriminated against. He worked for the equal rights of women as well as ending the excessive poverty in India. However, his major focus was on working towards the independence of India. He led many protest against Great Britian and was a leader of the group Quit India. Gandhi was thrown in jail many times for his disobedience to the government, but that did not deter him. His goal was finally reached when at the end of World War II the English government decided to transfer power over to the Indian government.
Gandhi was a peaceful man who followed the Hindu philosophy. He made his own clothing as well as lived as a vegetarian. He lived simply and self sufficiently and always remained committed to his path of non-violence. Sadly on January 30, 1948 Gandhi was assassinated by an extremist whose political views disagreed with his. He was an important man who greatly affected history and this is the reason Millsaps chose to honor him on his birthday.