Martyr’s Day

Mahatma Gandhi:

• He was an Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India.
• He was born on October 02, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. 
• He completed his early education at Gujarat and Bombay University.
• He went to London on September 04, 1888, to become a barrister.
• In 1893, he went to South Africa.
• In January 1915, He returned to his homeland after two decades of residence abroad
• His first major public appearance was at the opening of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in February 1916.

Role in Freedom struggles 

• He spent much of 1917 in Champaran, seeking to obtain for the peasant’s security of tenure as well as the freedom to cultivate the crops of their choice.
•  The following year, 1918, Gandhiji was involved in two campaigns in his home state of Gujarat. 
  • First, he intervened in a labour dispute in Ahmedabad, demanding better working conditions for the textile mill workers. 
  • Then he joined peasants in Kheda in asking the state for the remission of taxes following the failure of their harvest

• In 1919 he decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha against the proposed Rowlatt Act (1919).
  •  This Act had been hurriedly passed through the Imperial Legislative Council despite the united opposition of the Indian members. 
    • It gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities and allowed the detention of political prisoners without trial for two years. 

• He also organized the Non Cooperation movement in 1920. 
• He organized a civil disobedience movement in 1930, it is also known for Dandi Yatra.
• The final nail in the coffin for British Raj in India was the Quit India Movement, led by Gandhi in 1942. 

Other Contributions 

• He worked for the upliftment of untouchables and gave them a new name ‘Harijan’ meaning the children of God.
• Writing: ‘Young India,’ Navajivan’, My Experiments with Truth (Autobiography), Hind Swaraj.

Government Initiatives to honour him 

• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
• Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti is one of the institutions formed by the government of India in September 1984 by the merger of Gandhi Darshan at Rajghat and Gandhi Smriti. 
• Gandhi Shilp Bazaar is a govt’s scheme to promote and Market Indian handicrafts and provide financial assistance to different eligible organizations to organize Crafts Bazar in various places.
• The Bunkar Bima Yojana was introduced by the Government of India in December 2003. 
  • From 2005-06 this scheme was revised and has been implemented with the title “Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Yojana”.
• Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana is a special social security scheme that includes Pension and Life Insurance.