The birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti. Mahatma Gandhi also called father of the nation was born on October 2, 1869 and Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated to remember this occasion. To pay reverence to this great man the government of India has declared this day as a national holiday. All the offices in central government/state government and union territories remain closed on this day. It is a fitting tribute to the man who spearheaded the Indian national movement that too with non-violent means. The man who gave India innovative ways of protest like Satyagrah and Civil disobedience has a great following in India and overseas. The man fought against mightiest empire of that time with the means of Ahimsa or non-violence is one of the greatest persons in the history of Mankind. Mahatma Gandhi is also called father of the nation. To salute the spirit of this man his birthday is also observed as international day of non-violence.

His story is a story of man who refused to surrender against the forces of colonialism. Armed with weapon of non-violence he took courage to fight against the oppression and exploitation of the British. His struggle started even before he reached India. He struggled in South Africa for the rights of people of Indian community. On his return to India he waged a battle against the British for the rights of peasant and farmer communities. He also fought a battle against untouchability. He fought with the British for the rights of indigo farmers in Champaran. He also led a protest to break the salt law through his famous Dandi March in 1930. He was also the man behind the famous quit India movement of 1942. But his path was never been rosy. In this course he got imprisoned several times. A fanatic assassinated the man on January 30, 1948 by a fanatic, a year after India got freedom. A grateful nation pays tribute to him on October2, every year.