India is a country of sages and saints. Such great men from time to time come and absolve the country. Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi was such a Mahatma. He was born to free Mother India from the fetters of bandage and slavery. He led the country of freedom. His weapons were truth and non-violence. He brought freedom to one-fifth of humanity. He waged no war. He shed no blood. Still he brought freedom. So all the world calls him the father of Indian Nation.

He was born on 2nd October, 1869 at Porbandar in Gujrat Kathiyawar. His father was a Dewan. His mother was a highly religious lady. He passed his high school from Rajkot. He went to England to study law. There he got his bar-at-law degree. In 1913, he went to South Africa to oversee a law suit. There the white English persecuted the Indians. Gandhiji’s heart wept to see it. He resorted to satyagrah against the black laws. He succeeded in his mission. He returned to India in 1915.

On the appeal of Gopal Krishan Gokhale, a distinguished congressman, Gandhiji joined congress. He toured the entire country. He found British high handedness every-where. Now he jumped in the affairs of the country heart and soul. He began his famous Non-co-operation Movement in 1920. He got the support of every Indian. He led the famous Dandi March and violated the infamous salt law. He began his historic Quit India Movement in 1942 at Bombay. He faced all odds very bravely. He was sentenced to jail for a number of times. In short, he was a jail bird.

India attained freedom on 15th Aug., 1947 owing to his selfless service and super sacrifice. After the partition, this great man worked for Hindu Muslim unity. On 30th Jan., 1948, Nathu Ram Godse murdered him. The whole country was plunged into a deep sea of grief.

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But such great men never die. They are immortal. They live in their noble deeds and actions. We Indians pay our respectful homage to this great son of the country. His time-tested principles of truth and non-violence are our guiding-spirit. They will guide us in every hour of crisis.

Our country is passing through a deep crisis. We need a leader like Mahatma Gandhi to steer us clear of the differences of caste, color and creed. May my country and countrymen wake up to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and make India of his dreams come true.