MAHATMA GANDHI

1869-1948

DEBOSREE BHATTACHARYA

(DAS)

Introduction

• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, a coastal town in present-day Gujarat, India. His father, Karamchand Gandhi (1822–1885), who belonged to the Hindu Modh community, was the diwan (Prime Minister) of Porbander state, a small princely state in the Kathiawar Agency of British India.

Nai Talim In order to achieve the above mentioned aims of Sarvodaya in India, Gandhiji presented his plan of basic education. He called it Nai Talim (New education) because it sought to build up a new society in the country. He realised that what the country needs today is not so much higher education as the educationof the masses. Therefore, he did not lay so much emphasis upon higher education. “Nai Talim without the self support basis would be like a lifeless boy”17 The basic education sought to fulfil the needs of the education in a Sarvodaya society. It is hence that Gandhi planned for craft centred education with mother tongue as the medium. Literacy, according to him, is not an end but only a means of education. Education ultimately aims at the development of both mind and body and the capacity of earning one’s livelihood. The syllabi for the new education were framed in such a way so as to eliminate narrow nationalism and emphasize the ideal of Sarvodaya. World history was taught along with Indian history. Similarly, the syllabus included the study of fundamental universal ethics. The cost of education was brought down by compulsory manual labour and education was tried to be made self-sufficient as far as possible. “My Nai-Talim is not dependent on money. The running expense of this educationshould come from the educational proceeds itself”18 Social Revolution Point out the value of basic education for bringing about

NAI TALIM

FREE PRIMARY EDUCATION

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Gandhiji advocated for free and compulsory education for all-boys and girls between 7

to 14 years. Education should be imparted in primary level in the student’s mother tongue. A

free primary universal education is to be imparted to all the children in the village. This will

make the backbone of a country strong. Earning while learning was the motto of this

education. This wills increasing the creativity in a student. As Gandhi wanted to make Indian

village’s self-sufficient units, he emphasised that vocational education should increase the

efficiency within the students who will make the village as self-sufficient units

The South Africa Years

Gandhi and his legal colleagues.

Gandhi and his South African friends.

Gandhi served in and lead an Ambulance Corps Unit in both the Boer War 1899-1892 and the Zulu War of 1906. By supporting the British government, Gandhi hoped to gain full citizenship for Indians in South Africa, a goal he did not achieve.

STRUGGLE FOR INDIAN INDEPENDENCE (1915–1945)�

Gandhi takes a leadership role

Gandhi preaching a group of people �

Gandhi in a train interacting with his followers

Gandhi led a very simple life

Gandhi spinning thread

Gandhi reading a newspaper

Mahatma Gandhi's room at Sabarmati Ashram

Independence

• When the moment of freedom came, on 15 August 1947, Gandhi was nowhere to be seen in the capital, though Nehru and the entire Constituent Assembly were to salute him as the architect of Indian independence, as the 'father of the nation'.