THE UNYIELDING BUT PEACEFUL FIGHTER
MAHATMA GANDHI
The fifteenth century saw the birth of colonialism, this ravaged the world and had reached it peak in the nineteenth century. Global superpowers divided colonies among themselves. It was in this oppression a certain Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in 1869 in the coastal town of Porbandar, India. he was an ordinary boy from a modest family, shy, unassuming, and far from the image of a revolutionary, but deep within him burned a fire, a belief in justice that would one day ignite a global movement and reshape the course of history.
Gandhi's journey did not begin with an ambitions, it started with a simple act of defiance. As a young lawyer in South Africa, he was thrown off a train for refusing to give up his first-class seat to a white passenger, despite holding a valid ticket. This humiliating experience awakened in him, the realization that injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere. However, instead of responding with anger or violence, Gandhi chose a path of peaceful resistance. He called it "Satyagraha" meaning, the force of truth and non-violence. Through boycotts, marches, and civil disobedience, he united Indians in South Africa to fight discriminatory laws, proving that ordinary people, armed only with courage and conviction, could challenge mighty powers.
Upon his return to India in 1915, Gandhi found his homeland groaning under British colonial rule. Millions lived in poverty, stripped of their rights and dignity. The British Empire, which controlled vast territories across the globe, seemed invincible, but Gandhi saw potential in the masses. He donned the simple dhoti of a poor villager, spinning his own cloth to symbolize self-reliance and reject foreign goods. "Be the change you wish to see in the world," he proclaimed, inspiring Indians to reclaim their identity and economy.
With the Salt March in 1930, he defied the British monopoly on salt. Gandhi led a 240 mile walk to the sea. Thousands joined him, walking barefoot under the scorching sun, their steps echoing a cry for freedom. When they reached the shore, Gandhi picked up a handful of salt from the waves, a symbolic act that sparked nationwide protests. Peaceful demonstrators were jailed, but the world watched in awe as the empire's brutality was exposed against unarmed crowds. This non-violent revolution cracked the foundation of colonial rule, showing that empires built on force could crumble before the power of love and persistence.
Gandhi's influence rippled far beyond India. His philosophy inspired leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. in America's civil rights movement and Nelson Mandela in South Africa's fight against apartheid. Through hunger strikes, he quelled communal violence, urging Hindus and Muslims to live as brothers. In 1947, India gained independence, not through bloodshed, but through the sheer moral force of one man's unwavering commitment to peace. In 1948, he was assassinated by an extremist who feared his message of unity, Gandhi's legacy endured. He had changed the world by proving that true strength lies not in weapons, but in the capacity of the human spirit for compassion and resilience.
In a world still plagued by division and conflict, Gandhi's story reminds us, that no matter how small you feel, your actions can spark monumental change. Stand firm in your truth, embrace non-violence, and watch as the ripples of your courage transform the tide of history. If one frail man could free a nation and inspire billions, imagine what you can achieve.
Change starts within. You don't need wealth, status, or power; you only need the courage to stand for what is right. Whether you are fighting personal battles or societal wrongs, embrace non-violence in your words, actions, and thoughts; persist through setbacks, as Gandhi said, "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." Rise up, channel your inner strength towards a worthy cause. You too can change the world, one truthful step at a time.
365 men who changed the world.
Kamikun John, Author 366 days of wisdom.
