Father of the nation
GEETA CANPADEE
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Born on October 2, 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi has been immortalised in the minds of Indians as the "Father of the Nation".
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THE MAHATMA: Became the voice of the millions.
The term "Father of the Nation" is used in many countries to describe a political or symbolic leader seen as a founding father of the nation. He may also be key figure in the nation's history whose heroism and moral authority make him a source of patriotic inspiration and worthy of respect. His image is often elevated to that of a national symbol and is likely to be featured on items such as banknotes and stamps.
India's "Father of the Nation" is Mahatma Gandhi. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, into an average family, in an obscure town near Bombay, India. He was the sixth and youngest child of the family. His father served as a Diwan, or an adviser to one of the small states in Gujarat province.
Promising future
In his childhood Gandhi was very shy and timid. At the age of 13 he was married to Kasturba, who was the same age. His father died when Gandhiji was still in high school. He became the first person in his family to complete a high school education. Then he joined a college, but faired very poorly and dropped out after just three months. A family adviser suggested that obtaining a barrister's title from England was easier, as well as more lucrative.
Arriving at London, he had to deal not only with his limited diet and shyness, but also with the cultural shock. But because of his sincerity and persistence he was able to complete not only his law course but also the London Matriculation Examination.
In 1891, Gandhiji returned to India and tried to build a law practice at Bombay. In the meantime, he received an offer to assist a senior lawyer in South Africa for a year, which he accepted and left India in 1893.
While travelling from Durban to Johannesburg, Gandhiji had his first experience of racial discrimination. Just three hours into his journey, the conductor came to examine the tickets. Although Gandhi had a First Class ticket, he was asked to move to the third class coach, because the South African Railway did not allow coloured people to travel First Class. Gandhiji refused and was eventually thrown out of the train at night.
Until that time he had been deeply engrossed in his personal matters — his career, his finances, his family and so on. But this incident compelled him to think of others. He was no longer shy or hesitant in fighting injustice. He became the voice for not only the oppressed Indians but also fellow black people. This movement of non-violence, which started in South Africa, ended in India. At 35, Gandhiji conceived a new weapon called Satyagraha, which became the voice of millions who saw in him the fulfilment of their dream for an independent nation.
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Leaders who inspired
Afghanistan - Mohammed Zahir Shah
(a monarch);
Australia - Sir Edmund Barton
Bangladesh - Sheikh Mujibur Rehman
Burma - U Aung San
Canada - Sir John A. Macdonald
Peoples Republic of China Sun Yat Sen
Egypt - Saad Zaghlul
Germany - Otto-von-Bismarck
India - Mahatma Gandhi
Indonesia - Sukarno
Iran - Cyrus the Great
Italy - Guiseppe Garibaldi
Israel- David ben Gurion
Malaysia - Tunku Abdul Rahman
Mangolia - Genghis Khan
Maurutius - Sri Seewoosagur Ramgoolam
Pakistan - Muhammad Jinnah
Palestine - Yaseer Arafat
Saudi Arabia - Ibn Saud
Singapore - Lee Kuan Yew
South Africa - Nelson Mandela
Soviet Union - Vladimir Lenin
Srilanka - Don Stephan Senanayake
Turkey - Kamel Ataturk
The U.S. - George Washington.
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Is there a title "Mother of the Nation"? Yes, but unlike its male equivalent it has seen only occasional use, primarily due to the male-dominated history of nation building. However, here are a few examples:
England - Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; Finland - Tarja Halonen; New Zealand - Judy Bailey; Guyana - Janet Jagan ; Zimbabwe - Sally Mugabe ; Wales -.Katheryn of Berian; Pakis tan - Fatima Jinnah; South Africa - Winnie Mandela.
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