Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869 - 1948) was the pre-eminent political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement. He was the pioneer of satyagraha-resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, a philosophy firmly founded upon ahimsa or total nonviolence-which led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi is commonly known around the world as Mahatma Gandhi and in India also as Bapu. He is officially honoured in India as the Father of the Nation; his birthday, 2 October, is commemorated there as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday. (Wikipedia)